Family Portrait
by StayWithMeForTheKids
Summary: AU/: The Fabray-Berry children are about to hear the story of how their parents met. Would you like to hear too?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I have a new story to tell. Uh, yeah, I hope you enjoy it.**

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><p>A growl escapes her throat when the answering machine plays once again through the receiver. Ending the call, she quickly redials the same number. This time, the phone only rings twice before it is finally picked up.<p>

Heavy panting is heard through the receiver. "What?"

"Again! You're doing this again!" Rachel fumes as she begins to pace in anger.

"I'm sorry, okay."

"Don't say sorry to me, say sorry to the children you are letting down once again." Rachel glances to the elementary school in front of her.

"I wish I could pick them up today, Rach, but I can't, I've got so much work to do." A distant giggle is heard on the other end.

Rachel's eyes narrow. The heavy panting coming from her soon to be divorced wife and the giggle makes her suspicious. "Are you bullshitting me?"

"What makes you say that?"

Rachel listens as the phone becomes muffled, her ex obviously covering it with her hand. She faintly hears the words: "Can you stop for a moment, I can't concentrate." being said to someone in the background, most probably the someone Rachel heard a giggle from.

"Are you with someone?"

"Yeah, Jenny, my assistant, why?" Her ex answers.

Rachel's blood boils. She can feel herself getting ready to scream down the phone. However, the sound of the bell ringing stops her from doing so. She takes a calming breath, watching the children come running out of the school to their respective parents.

"You know what, Quinn? Next time when you want to fuck your assistant instead of spending time with your children, just say so, okay?" Rachel growls before angrily hanging up the phone.

Then she spots them, her beautiful children running over to her, their hands clasped tightly together. Rachel looks at Lucy, her eight year old daughter, smiling widely with her two front teeth missing. She then looks over at Alex, her baby boy of only five, skipping along beside Lucy with a piece of paper in his hands.

"Mommy!" They both say before greeting her with a hug.

Rachel laughs and holds onto the two of them tightly. "Hey babies." She says before pulling away from the two of them. Her eyes drift to Lucy who is a spitting image of herself. Big brown eyes with long, thick brunette hair. She pushes a strand of her daughter's hair behind her ear before placing a kiss on her forehead. Although Lucy looks just like Rachel, her personality is just like Quinn's. She's the quiet child out of her and Alex, she is more reserved than Alex and tends to keep to herself with her nose in a book most of the time.

"Where's Momma?" She hears Alex ask.

Rachel looks over to Alex, who looks so much like Quinn, it's scary. Bright hazel eyes stare at her inquisitively, his blond hair gelled up into messy spikes. Alex is exactly like Rachel in personality - he's loud, loves to chat about anything and everything, loves to sing and more than most, you will find him dancing about in his room whilst singing along to whatever song he's obsessed with at that time.

"She couldn't make it today, baby boy. So you're going to be with me today instead. Maybe tomorrow you'll get to see Momma, okay?"

Alex frowns and looks at the paper in his hands. "But I drew a picture for her." He says, holding it out to Rachel.

Rachel takes the drawing from Alex and looks at it. Four stick men stand in a line, a house drawn beside them. Two of the stick men are taller than the other two. one with blonde hair and one with brown hair. In the corner she notices a very tall looking stick man. In the top left hand side, she notices a title that says "My Family by Alex Leroy Berry - Fabray".

"That's you." Alex says, pointing a chubby finger at the taller brunette stick figure. "That's Momma, that's Lucy and that - that's me." He says, a proud smile on his face. He points at each of the stick figures as he tells her who is who.

"Who's this?" Rachel asks, pointing to the stick man.

"That's Finn. Miss Bolton told me that I had to include him because he was your special friend."

Rachel frowns slightly, coming to the realisation that Alex doesn't consider Finn family. Why would he? Finn's not his father, he's just Mommy's friend to Alex.

"You can give it to Momma tomorrow, okay?" Rachel says, handing the drawing back to Alex. She stands up and takes both Alex and Lucy's hand. She turns her attention to Lucy who has stayed silent. "How was your day, Lucy?"

"It was okay. We learnt out six times tables today." Lucy says.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I can do them up to ten. Miss Newman said that I was really fast at learning them."

"I'm sure you were, you're a smart girl."

"I can do my two times tables!" Alex says as he skips besides Rachel, his hand firmly holding onto hers.

"No you can't." Lucy says, looking around Rachel to Alex.

"Ya huh!"

"Nu uh!"

"Ya huh!"

"Prove it!"

"Fine!"

Rachel laughs, shaking her head at her children.

"2x1=2 2x2=4 2x3=6 2x4=8 and 2x5=10" Alex says proudly.

"Well done, Alex! That was really good!" Rachel says.

"Well I can do them up to twenty!" Lucy boasts.

"Nu uh!"

"Ya huh!"

Rachel rolls her eyes, smiling at her two children as they continue to bicker. Rachel thinks back to her conversation with Quinn. She can't believe that that woman would rather get into bed with some slutty assistant who Rachel is sure carries every STI known to man than look after their children. If she can't keep up the deal they made when they separated, how will she keep up the custody deal once the divorce is final?

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><p>The knife cuts through the carrot cleanly, no struggle was needed. Rachel grins at the knife and looks over to the wooden knife block where she picked it up from. 5 years she's had these knifes and they are all still as sharp as the day she brought them. Rachel's smile slowly lessens as she thinks back to that day.<p>

With a 3 year old Lucy resting on her hip, Rachel and Quinn had travelled to the store together, back when they were happy and in love. Quinn had gladly taken Lucy from Rachel's hip whilst Rachel walked around, oohing and aaahing at every kitchen appliance she saw. After a few arguments between the two of them, they finally decided on a stainless steel set of knifes as well as a coffee machine before heading home. Rachel had set her sights on cooking straight away and cut up vegetables with the very knife in her hand. As she cut the vegetables, Rachel remembers feeling Quinn's arms circle round her waist and pull her close to her body.

Rachel breathes in deeply, remembering the smell if Quinn's perfume that consumed her in a comforting cocoon in that moment. She remembers how Quinn's lips felt on her neck, she feels them now like it was a ghost touch, just a simple tickle on her neck in the very spot Quinn's lips lay. She remembers hearing Quinn asking to have a carrot, to which Rachel happily sliced her a piece and handed it to her over her shoulder.

They were so happy then. What happened?

Rachel shakes her head to herself. She knows exactly what happened.

"Hey babe."

Rachel turns around at the sound of her boyfriends voice and grins at him. "Finn! You're back from work early."

Finn grins. "I thought that seeing as we finally get an evening without your kids I would leave early." He says giving Rachel a kiss on the lips.

Rachel goes to speak but the sound of Alex's voice stops her.

"Mommy! Lucy took my blue crayon!" He says, running into the kitchen with Lucy following him.

"He wasn't using it!" Lucy says, defending herself.

Rachel ignores the perplexed look Finn is sending her and turns her attention to her children.

"Babies, say hello to Finn."

Both Alex and Lucy turn their eyes to the tall man and quickly say hello to Finn before turning their attention to the more important matter at hand - the blue crayon. Well, to them anyway.

"Hey." Finn says, however his tone of voice is not very welcoming to either child. Rachel ignores this.

"Honey," she says to Alex. "If you weren't using it, then you should allow Lucy to use it. Sharing is caring, remember? Don't you care for your sister?"

Alex frowns and nods his head. "I do." He turns to Lucy. "You can use the crayon, Lucy."

Lucy smiles at him and skips away. Alex glances at Finn before looking at Rachel. He grins brightly at her before running to hug her. "Love you, Mommy." He says before scurrying away after his sister.

Rachel watches him go with a smile. She can only hope that he doesn't change from how he is now, giving her hugs and kisses all the time.

"Why are they here?" Finn asks.

Rachel's stands up and goes back to cutting up the carrots for the salad. "Quinn was...busy." She says. Finn isn't Quinn's biggest fan, nor is Quinn Finn's biggest fan. She doesn't want to add more fuel to Finns hatred to her soon to be ex wife by saying she thinks she's ditched the kids to have sex.

"But we were meant to spend the evening together." He says. A smirk pulls up on his face and he leans against the counter. "And you know, have a little fun."

Rachel's smile is strained. Finn was never very good at dirty talk. It's quite cringy actually, when he does. "I know."

Finn shrugs and pushes himself up so he's sitting on the counter. "So, have you thought anymore about what we discussed last night?"

Rachel pauses in her chopping and places the knife down. She had completely forgotten about that conversation. Ever since she received the text message from Quinn, the blonde woman is all she could think about. She picks up the carrots and places them in the salad bowl before mixing up the salad.

"Rach?" Finn prompts, his feet hitting against the cabinets he is sitting upon.

Rachel picks up the bowl of salad and takes it to the table. When she walks back into the kitchen, Finn has jumped off the counter and is now standing in front of the oven. Rachel hands Finn the plates, 2 ceramic ones and 2 plastic ones-one is Thomas the tank engine, the other is Disney Princesses.

"Rachel." Finn says again, becoming aggravated with Rachel's lack of answering.

Rachel picks up the pots of spaghetti bolognese, one vegan for her, and glances at Finn before walking to the dining table.

"I don't think now is a good time to talk about that." She says evenly, taking the plates from Finn and placing them on the table. She walks back into the kitchen, Finn following her.

"It's the perfect time!" Finn says, taking the cutlery that Rachel hands to him. Rachel rolls her eyes and picks up a set of plastic cutlery for Alex and the basket of bread rolls.

"I would rather not talk about it right now, Finn."

Finn follows Rachel into the dining room once again and sets the cutlery down. "Why?"

Rachel looks up from Alex's seat, where she was sorting out his booster seat and stares at Finn with aggravated eyes. "Because we are about to have dinner, because I haven't really thought about it and because I haven't even asked the kids about it yet, or even mentioned it to Quinn!" She says in a hushed tone so the children don't hear her.

Finn sits himself down at the table and pouts angrily. "Why do you need to tell Quinn?" He asks as Rachel walks into the kitchen once again to grab the two juice cups sitting on the island and two glasses for herself and Finn.

She storms back in, handing Finn his glass quite aggressively. This man is causing her aggravation levels to skyrocket. She places Lucy and Alex's juice cups down and turns around to face a still pouting Finn.

"Quinn is the mother of my children. She has a right to know when a big change may happen in her children's lives."

"Only Alex is her kid!"

Rachel glares at Finn, her patience quickly evaporating. "Lucy is just as much as her daughter as Alex is her son. She may not have given birth to Lucy or share any genes with Lucy, but she helped me look after Lucy, she loves Lucy more than any other girl in the world. How dare you say that to me!"

Finn has enough common sense to look guilty about what he said and backs down a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

Rachel pinches the bridge of her nose and takes a deep breath. "Look, can we drop it for now? We'll talk about it later." When Finn nods Rachel lets out a small smile before turning around to face the living room. "Kids, dinners ready!" She calls.

Almost immediately, Rachel hears their little footsteps come scurrying through the hallway and into the dining room. Lucy immediately takes her usual place, on the left hand side next to the head of the table closest to the kitchen. Alex, however, pauses when he sees Finn sitting in the seat at the the other head of the table, the one closest to the living room - Quinn's seat.

Alex looks up at Rachel, the tiniest frown on his face. A wave of déjà vu hits Rachel when she looks at Alex. He looks so much like Quinn right now.

"He's sitting in Momma's seat." He whispers to Rachel.

Rachel looks over at Finn and realised that Finn had heard Alex. Finn sighs softly and gets up from the seat before moving to sit at the other head of the table, closer to Lucy.

Now happy with the seating arrangements, Alex holds his arms out to Rachel so she can lift him up into his seat. Once Rachel is seated, everyone begins to eat.

When everyone becomes heavily invested in their meal, Rachel decides to start up conversation. "How was school, Lucy?"

Lucy swallows the food she had stuffed into her mouth. "It was good, I got to read Charlie and the chocolate factory today." She says with a grin.

Rachel gasps in excitement. "Really? Wow!" She places some salad into her mouth and chews slowly before turning her attention to Alex. She doesn't notice the plotting look on Finn's face. "And apart from your drawing, what did you do today, Alex?"

With his mouth full of food, Alex begins to speak. "I gop po do spome pinger painping!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full of food, young man." Rachel chastises.

Alex quickly chews and swallows the food in his mouth. "Sorry mummy. I got to do some finger painting today!" He says in excitement.

"What did you paint?"

"A lion!"

"Wow! Why didn't you bring it home with you today?"

Alex stabs his fork into a piece of cucumber. "It wasn't dry in time. I painted it for Mumma." He says before attempting to place the piece of cucumber that is way too big into his mouth.

Thy fall into silence once again and continue to eat dinner. Rachel's eyes slowly lift up when she noticed movement coming from Finn.

Finn places his cutlery down on the table and wipes his mouth with his hand before leaning back in his chair. "So, kids, your mum and I have something very important to ask you."

Red. That is what Rachel sees right now. Bright burning red flames that are surrounding Finn in anger. The grip on her fork tightens as her blood begins to boil.

"Finn." Rachel manages to ground out through her teeth.

Her children stop eating and look over at Rachel before glancing over to Finn.

"What?" Lucy asks.

"Well, we have both been thinking about this-" Finn begins to say before being cut off by the sound of Rachel's chair being scraped against the tiled flooring.

All eyes turn to Rachel as she stands from her chair, her eyes glaring right at Finn as her anger finally bubbles over. Trying to keep her voice calm, rachel angles her body to look at Lucy and Alex. "Kids, go watch tv please." She asks with a surprising amount of calmness.

"But Finn wanted to-"

"Now!" Rachel orders, cutting off Lucy's protest.

Quick as mice, the two children scurried off, not wanting to anger their mother any further. When Rachel is sure they are out of earshot, she slowly makes her way round the table to Finn. The man looks up at Rachel with slight fear, almost quivering in his seat at the death glare Rachel is directing at him.

In the most chilling voice Rachel can muster, she calmly hisses out, "Kitchen. Now." Before moving into the kitchen. She doesn't turn to face Finn until she is sure he's in the kitchen. Slowly, she turns around and closes the kitchen door, her eyes focused on the tall man in front of her.

Finn gulps and looks away from Rachel. Rachel spots a single bead of sweat running down the side of his face.

"How," Rachel slowly says as she takes a step towards Finn. "Dare you!" She shouts, poking him aggressively in the chest. Rachel lets herself feel a little proud at the way she made Finn wince slightly and how he's now rubbing the spot she poked.

"Rach-"

"How dare you go behind my back like that! Actually, that wasn't even behind my back, you did it right in front of my face - against my wishes!" She yells, not giving Finn a chance to defend himself.

"It was the perfect opportunity!" Finn yells back, managing to find some courage left in him.

"I don't care! I told you that I hadn't thought about it, I hadn't made a decision and I needed to ask Quinn!"

"Why does Quinn even need to know? She could know after!"

Rachel explodes. "She has a right to know about changes in her children's lives! I told you why earlier. We can't go behind her back and make you the kids' adoptive father! She would be furious and rightfully so, she has the right to agree or disagree to it." Rachel is screaming right now, she knows that kids must hear her, but right now she doesn't care. What she cares about is how this man- Her supposedly boyfriend - went against her wishes and doesn't seem to have any regard for her ex, her children's mother.

"We both know what her answer would be! She hates my guts!"

Rachel places her hands on her hips. "Regardless of that, she is still their parent."

"I can't believe that you are on Quinn's side!"

Rachel's eyebrows furrow in confusement. "The only sides in this argument is your side and my side. Quinn has no side."

"You're putting her feelings before mine!"

"I," Rachel says, slightly offended "am putting my children's feelings first!"

"But-"

"Enough, Finn! I don't want to see you right now. Leave."

Finns face scrunched up in anger. "Fine. I'll be in our room."

he goes to walk past but Rachel's hand on his chest stops him.

"No." She says. She shoves him back slightly and opens up the kitchen door. "Leave my home. I don't want you here anymore."

Finn glares at Rachel before storming past her. Rachel quickly follows to make sure he does actually leave. She watches with her arms folded as Finn angrily puts on his coat and shoes like a child, huffing as he does so. He gives Rachel one last sour look before storming out of the house, slamming the door closed.

With Finn gone, Rachel finally releases a sob that she had been holding back and collapses against the door with her back against the wood and closes her eyes. Before she can even release another sob, she feels two pairs of arms wrap around her, one set around her hips, the other round her waist. Her arms naturally fall to wrap around the two children hugging her.

opening her eyes, Rachel looks down at her children who both look up at her, matching looks of sadness on their faces.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Alex asks.

Rachel sniffs and gives Alex the best smile she can muster. "I'm better now, baby."

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><p>Rachel leans against the tub, her right hand gently swaying the the soapy bubbles below as her left rests against her cheek. Alex sits in the bath, suds covering his face like a beard as he plays about with his bath toys, creating voices for each of them. Rachel smiles softly, thinking about how when Quinn would bathe Lucy and Alex, she would also create voices for their toys and act out scenarios that had the children laughing gleefully. Bath time was always their favourite time when Quinn was here.<p>

Alex aggressively punches his toy airplane into the water, pretending the plane had crashed and causing soapy water to spray everywhere.

Rachel sputters when some of the water lands on her face unexpectedly. She playfully glares at Alex who is trying very hard to hold back his laughter.

"Alex, what did I tell you about splashing about in the water?" Rachel softly chatisises.

"You look so funny Mommy." Alex says, letting his laughter out.

A huff leaves Rachel's lips and she splashes Alex a little. He just giggles and continues to play with his bath toys.

"Mommy?"

"Yes baby?" Rachel answers, reaching to grab for the lo'real kids shampoo on the side. She gestures for Alex to scoot closer to her and squirts the shampoo into her hand.

"Is Finn going to become Lucy and me's new daddy?" He asks, placing his plane into the water.

Rachel rubs her hands together to make the shampoo warmer and bubbly, just how Alex likes it, before gesturing for Alex to place his hands against his eyebrows to cover his eyes.

"It's 'Mine and Lucy's', sweetheart." Rachel gently corrects. "Only if you want him too." She says as she begins to softly scrub Alex's hair.

"I don't want him too." Alex says. "He made you and Momma upset."

"Momma won't like it either."

Rachel looks over her shoulder and sees Lucy leaning against the bathroom door. Rachel gestures for Lucy to come in and waits for the girl to sit herself down on the toilet-with the lid down-before asking her a question.

"What makes you say that?" Rachel asks, removing her hands from Alex's head and rinsing the shampoo off her hands. She reaches over and grabs the shower head, turning on the taps and warming up the water.

"Momma doesn't like Finn." Lucy says in a matter of fact tone. "She doesn't trust him."

Rachel instructs Alex to keep his eyes closed shut as she begins to rinse off the shampoo from his head. "When did she tell you this?" Rachel asks, shocked that Quinn would state a strong opinion such as that on their daughter.

"She didn't." Lucy says sheeply, her legs kicking against the basin of the toilet. "I overheard her talking to Aunt Brittany once."

"Mommy?" Alex asks.

Rachel looks back to her son, removing the shower head from him. She reaches past him and grabs the l'oreal kids conditioner. "Yes honey?" She rubs the conditioner in her hands before gently massaging Alex's soft blonde hair.

"Does Momma not love us anymore?"

Rachel pauses her actions and looks over at Lucy, who is wearing a solemn expression, her eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly. She looks just like Quinn does when she's worried.

"Why would you think that?" Rachel gently asks, continuing her movements on Alex's head.

"We haven't seen her in ages." Lucy says. Rachel hers Lucy stand from the toilet and move over to them. She sits herself down beside Rachel, softly picking at the material of the bath mat beneath them.

"It's like she doesn't want us around." Lucy says, looking up at Rachel with sad eyes.

Rachel rinses off her hands and grabs the showerhead. She tells Alex to lean his head back as she begins to wash out the conditioner. "Your mother loves both of you very much. She's just very busy at the moment. Just because she hasn't seen you in a while doesn't mean she doesn't love you. You don't stop loving someone because you don't see them all the time."

"Do you still love Momma, Mommy?" Alex asks, his head still tipped back.

Rachel falters, her hand slipping over Alex's head and causing her to fall forward into the bath. Luckily, she manages to catch herself in time and only manages to get her forearm soaking wet and covered in soap.

Rachel licks her lips and glances down to her lap. She turns off the taps, stopping the water from coming out of the showerhead and sits back so she can look at both of her children. "Your mother and I...we're...well...We didn't really see each other as often as we used to after she got her new job-"

"You said that just because you don't see someone often, doesn't mean you stop loving them." Lucy says in a matter of fact tone, a tone that is so much like the one Rachel used when she was younger.

Stalling for time so she can think of something to say in reply to her daughter, Rachel slowly picks up Alex's power ranger towel. She holds the material in her hands and looks at both her children,

"I can't answer your question, Alex." She says honestly.

"Why?"

Rachel licks her lips and sighs softly. "I just can't." She leans forward and wraps the towel around Alex before lifting him out of the bath. "Now, it's time to get the both of you into bed." She says, coaxing both children out of the bathroom.

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><p>"Mom?"<p>

Rachel looks up from where she was putting away one of Lucy's books and over at her daughter. Lucy stands just in front of her bed, in her pale blue pyjamas.

"Yeah?"

Lucy tugs nervously at her pyjamas. "What happened between you and Momma?" She asks.

Rachel turns from the bookcase and makes her way over to her daughter. She sits herself down on Lucy's bed, tapping the space next to her. Lucy pulls herself up onto the bd, crossing her legs under herself.

"I can't tell you, Lucy."

"Why not?"

"Because a couple of things happened that might upset you. I am not prepared to tell you a story that will upset you."

Lucy slowly nods, before her face brightens. She jumps onto Rachel, her hands grabbing at her arm, her face bright with excitement. "Can you tell me the story of how you too met instead?" Lucy asks.

Rachel smiles softly. "You already know the story, Momma told you, remember?"

Lucy scurries down to the end of her bed and flops down against her pillows, her hand coming up to her forehead dramatically. Rachel smiles, like mother like daughter.

"But that was only her side of the story, I want to hear your side." She says wistfully.

"Your side of what?"

Rachel looks over at the door to Lucy's bedroom and sees Alexs standing there, dressed in his power rangers pyjamas, cuddling his little blue dinosaur toy.

"You're supposed to be asleep, youngman." Rachel scolds gently.

Alex grins cheekily at her and plods into the room. "I couldn't sleep."

"Mommy was about to tell me that story of how she and Momma met." Lucy says from her position against her pillows. Alex's face immediately lights up with excitement, a math to Lucy's expression earlier. He runs further into the room and jumps up onto the bed next to Rachel.

"Can I hear the story, Momma?" He pleads, his eyes becoming big and wide, whilst a pout form at his mouth. A look that Rachel had mastered when she was younger and still uses to this day.

"Oh, alright." She rolls her eyes and coaxes Alex further up the bed. She stands up and moves to sit down so she's facing her kids. Alex and Lucy quickly sucrry under Lucy's bedsheets, both watching Rachel with their undivided attention.

"You really want to know?" Rachel asks.

The nod.

"It can get really boring."

Lucy scoffs. "Nuh uh, from the story that Momma told me, it's like you lived a fairy tale."

"How about I make it like a fairytale?" She asks.

"No." Lucy says. "I want to hear the actual story." She says, Alex nodding aggressively by her side.

Rachel sighs. "Alright." She moves to make herself comfortable on the bed.

Time to tell the story of Faberry.

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><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>

**Oh and I'm not 100% happy with the title of the story, if any of you have suggestions, I would love to hear them!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for your reviews on the first chapter. You all seem to have come to the conclusion that someone cheated and that said person was Quinn, despite the fact I tried to not give anything away. Interesting...**

**I would just like to note: sex scenes/foul language is for you guys only, Rachel does not go into explicit detail about either two whilst she is telling Lucy and Alex the story. How she works her way around that is explained in this chapter. (hopefully)**

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><p><strong>15 Years Ago<strong>

Rachel stares at the suitcase situated on her bed, filled to the brim with clothes that sh eknows she just has to have with her. She inspects the suitcase, her eyes narrowing as she begins to walk around it, like she's trying to decipher the pink bag. Placing her hands on her hips, Rachel looks at the suitcase in contemplation. Then, without warning, an animal like scream escapes her mouth and she pounces upon the bag.

She jumps up and down on the bag, willing for the lid to close, a growl ripping it's way through her clenched teeth. She can feel her pulse pound in her neck as she continues to wrestle with the suitcase beneath her.

Rachel grows increasingly annoyed at the stubbornness of the bag and sits atop of it, her arms crossed and a petulant pout on her face. She glares at the six other suitcases lined up against her wall, all ready and waiting to go.

"Why can't you just co-operate like the rest?" She asks the suitcase, gesturing to the others.

"Are you talking to your suitcase again, Rach?"

Rachel's head whips over to her door, spotting Kurt standing in the doorway with his hair styled perfectly, his clothes specifically picked out for this day, not a speck of lint on any item upon his body and a small smirk gracing his lips.

A sigh escapes the tiny brunette. "He just doesn't want to co-operate with me!" Rachel exclaims, jumping off the suitcase.

Kurt's eyes dart to the other suitcases against the wall and then to Rachel, his eyebrow raising every so slightly. "Do you really need to bring a seventh suitcase?" He asks, walking further into the room and inspecting the suitcase on Rachel's bed in a manner very similar to Rachel.

Rachel huffs and shakes her head, looking at Kurt like he's stupid. "Of course I do! I need to make sure I'm properly packed for every single thing that could happen whilst we're over in Dubai."

A laugh sounds from Rachel's doorway, causing Kurt and Rachel to whip their heads over like a couple of meerkats. Rachel rolls her eyes when she sees it's just Santana, leaning casually against the doorframe, her own single black suitcase sat beside her.

"What could possibly happen in Dubai that needs you to pack so much of your crap, Berry?"

* * *

><p><em>"What does crap mean?"<em>

_Rachel's eyes widen at her son's words. Shit, she wasn't meant to say that. "Uh-It's a very bad word, Alex, you must never use it, okay?"_

_"But what does it mean?"_

_"It means a lot of things."_

_"Like what?"_

_"Do you want to hear the story or not?"_

_"...Yes."_

_"Then be quiet."_

* * *

><p>"You've packed like we're going away for six months, we're only going for two weeks." Santana continues, without letting Rachel explain herself.<p>

Rachel huffs and places her hands on her hips. "A lot can happen in two weeks, Santana."

"Still doesn't explain why you packed so much." Santana says, looking at the suitcase in amusement. She pushes Kurt aside and flips open the lid.

Rachel watches in horror as Santana begins to go through her suitcase, throwing numerous things away. Rachel's mouth falls open when she sees Santana throw away her cuddly brown teddy. She rushes over to the teddy and picks it up.

"How dare you throw Barbra like that!" Rachel says, glaring at the Latina.

Santana barely even lifts her head. "Listen, Hobbit." Rachel huffs at the nickname. "We're going to Dubai, a place that will have thousand of untouched Arabic Pussy just waiting for us to dip our fingers into."

Both Rachel and Kurt scrunch their noses up at Santana's analogy. Santana points at the bear in Rachel's arms. "Having that with you, will most certainly make sure you don't get any."

Rachel looks over at Kurt for help, but he only shrugs and grabs another one of Rachel's suitcases. "Sorry, hunny, but as hard as it is for me to say, Santana has a point." He opens Rachel's second suitcase and begins to search through just like Santana.

Rachel stands back and watches in increasing horror as item after item is thrown from her suitcase. She tries to object when certain item are thrown, but neither of her roommates/friends hear her...well, listen to her. The pair of them are snickering like a couple of five year olds during the whole time.

After about ten minutes, Rachel's room is covered head to toe in clothes and only one suitcase is left sitting on her bed.

"You made one good decision in your packing, Berry." Santana says, coming to stand next to a shocked Rachel.

Rachel looks at Santana, her mouth hanging open.

"At least you packed some sexy underwear. Wasn't it just yesterday you were saying how you had no intention of hooking up with anyone?" Santana asks, a smirk on her face.

The smaller brunette closes her mouth and crosses her arms, Barbra still in her arms. "I still don't." She says. "But it never hurt to be cautious."

Santana gives Rachel a knowing smile. "Right, whatever you say." She says before moving to grab her suitcase. "You bitches best hurry up, I wants to get my ass on that plane pretty soon." She says to Kurt and Rachel before leaving the room.

Rachel grabs her one suitcase from her bed. She stares glumly at the mess left in her room and whines softly. She feels Kurt pat her shoulder lightly and chuckle softly.

"You'll thank us soon enough." Kurt says, before moving his hand down to grab hold of Rachel's. "Come on, we don't want to keep Santana waiting."

* * *

><p>She's going to hit her. If the damn girl next to her doesn't shut up for one second, Rachel will hit her with her Barbra Streisand Biography resting in her lap. You heard correctly, Rachel is willing to risk damaging her beloved autobiography of her beloved star if it gets the woman next to her to just shut up!<p>

One more sound and she's going to do it. Her hands begin to tighten around the book cover. She watches the woman beside her from the corner of her eye as she tries so hard to focus on Barbra describing her time as Fanny in Funny Girl.

She can see the woman's throat bob, the skin on her neck tightening as her vocal cords go to vibrate. Rachel takes a deep breath in and then-

"Argh."

With one swift movement, Rachel closes her book and delivers a blow to the woman's arm, matching the glare being sent to her with her own.

"Will you please shut up!" She harshly whispers.

Dark eyes glare at her whilst a tanned hand rubs at the spot Rachel hit. "What's wrong with you, Hobbit?"

Rachel rolls her eyes. "You've been complaining about these seats as soon as we boarded this damn plane!"

"It's not my fault that these seats are so fucking uncomfortable! Why does Lady Hummel get to sit up in First Class whilst we are left back here?"

"Are you the designer who's designs are going to appear in the fashion show, Santana?"

"It's only a fashion show in Dubai, not fucking Milan!"

"And if it was don't you think that we would be up in first class with Kurt? Or maybe even have a plane to ourselves?"

Santana frowns at Rachel's words. "I'm still not happy."

"Can't you just be happy for our friend? This is a big deal for him."

"I never said I wasn't happy for him. I'm just not happy about these damn seats." Santana huffs, punching the itchy blue material.

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Well we've got three more hours in here so you better get used to them soon."

Santana ignores Rachel and turns her attention to the window. Rachel watches her for a moment before finally re-opening her book and continuing where she left off.

* * *

><p>"I've gotta say, Hummel, at first I was doubting even coming on this trip, what with the terror that was the plane." Santana says as the trio walk into their hotel room, "But now, I'm thinking that being friends with you isn't such a bad thing after all." She says with an approving nod.<p>

Rachel has got to agree with Santana. The room is really quite wonderful. And big. Very big. As soon as you walk in, you're met with the sight of a very homely looking living room, with a small flat screen television, a sofa bed and an arm chair. Paintings of what Rachel can only assume to be the beaches of Dubai hand upon the white walls, with the odd plant placed here and there. Right at the back stands two sliding glass doors leading out onto the balcony that overlooks the sea. Close to the front door is another sliding door that Rachel assumes is one of the double bedrooms. Walking further into the room, Rachel spots the bathroom just off the side of the balcony, with another door next to it. Rachel heads straight to that, gasping when she opens it.

A luxurious double bed with silk sheets sits in the middle of the room, a large, arabic style rug resting on the floor in front of it. A dark wooden dresser sits against the far wall, a mirror placed just above it. Rachel spots two fluffy white dressing gowns hanging outside of what she assumes to be the closet and squeals in delight. She walks further into the room and places her suitcase upon the bed. She looks over the white silk sheets, leading up to two very fluffy pillows, surrounded by even more fluffy and colourful pillows. The she sees them. Then, she squeals.

"Oh my god!"

Santana and Kurt come rushing into the room, wondering what Rachel is squealing about. Rachel turns to them, a huge grin on her face and holds out her hands.

There, lying in both her palms are two complimentary mints, bth wrapped in a green wrapping with the name of the hotel on them.

With one look at each other, both Santana and Kurt squeal and hold out two of their own mints, exactly identical to Rachel's. All three of them squeal in excitement and jump up and down on the spot.

* * *

><p><em>"What's the big deal? They're just mints." Lucy says, distracting Rachel from continuing the story.<em>

_"What's the big-" Rachel falters, blinking slowly at her daughter. "Lucy, Auntie Santana, Uncle Kurt and I are all from a tiny town. We never get complimentary mints there. So, it's a pretty big deal."_

_"But why?"_

_"Because they're free mints!"_

* * *

><p>"This place is top notch classy shit right here." Santana says, hurriedly unwrapping one of her mints and shoving it into her mouth.<p>

Both Rachel and Kurt look at her in amusement, causing her to narrow her eyes. Her mouth is still full of the mint when she slowly threatens them.

"You tell anyone about this," This says around the mint, "You're dead." And with that, she turns around and walks out of the room.

Kurt and Rachel look back to each other and giggle, beginning to unwrap one of their complimentary mints.

"I can't believe we're actually here." Rachel says, placing the mint into her mouth with far more grace than Santana.

Kurt nods and follows Rachel's movements, walking further into the room. He folds his arms over his chest and inspects Rachel's bedroom with a critical eye. "You chose well." Kurt says in approval. He walks over to her window and looks out into the town.

Rachel unzips her suitcase as she waits for Kurt to say something less than complimentary to her about her choice of rooms. She knows it's coming, and she has an inkling of a feeling what it's going to be about. She raises an eyebrow when she picks up a thong from her bag. She does not remember owning such a thong. Sure, she owns lacy underwear, but never has she thought about wearing a thong.

"It's a shame." Kurt begins to say. Rachel rolls her eyes. Here it comes. "My room has a much better view. A view to match the one in the living room." He finishes, turning around to face Rachel, his eyebrows raising in surprise when he spies the thong in Rachel's hands. "I didn't know you owned a thong."

Rachel quickly drops the undergarment and blushes. She quickly changes the topic. "Well, you're the fantastic designer that has brought us here with your talent, it's only fair you get the better room." Then she quickly adds, "And I don't own a thong."

Rachel listens and Kurt walks closer to her, peering over her shoulder into her suitcase. "I don't remember seeing it when Santana and I re-packed your bag." He says, picking up the thong with his pinky finger. "I remember seeing lacy underwear and packing that for you, but not...this." He says, stretching the waistband of the thong before letting it ping across the room. It hits the mirror with a soft thump before falling onto the dresser.

Rachel gasps and quickly runs over to the undergarment and places it into the top drawer of the dresser. She rushes back to her bag, eyeing the clothing that her roommates packed for her. She doesn't remember packing such clothing, she thinks as she picks out short shorts, tank tops and short dresses. She can't see any of her usual clothes.

"Oh, Santana and I took the courtesy of buying you a whole new wardrobe for this trip." Kurt says, picking up one of the dresses and smiling fondly at it.

"Wha-Why?"

Kurt looks over at Rachel with an unamused expression. "Hunny, even though your fashion sense has improved a lot since high school - I am thanking the heavens that you have finally gotten rid of all your argyle - but even the clothes you have now are not right for Dubai."

"What's wrong with the clothing I've got?" Rachel asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We're here in Dubai for a fashion show, and quite frankly, your clothes are no longer in fashion. I couldn't let you come here with out of fashion clothing, honey. So we went shopping…" Kurt pauses and looks over at the drawer where the thong was lying. "Come to think of it, Santana did disappear off on her own for a bit and came back with a few lingerie bags. That's probably where the thing came from." He says with a grin.

Before Rachel can answer him, Kurt grabs Rachel's suitcase and throws it onto the floor. Rachel gasps in shock, staring at the clothes that had fallen out and onto the floor. Kurt rushes around her room for a few moments before stopping beside her once more. She looks at Kurt and watches as he places out an outfit for her, the new thong included.

"Hurry up and get dressed, unpacking can be done later - tonight, we're going clubbing." He says with a grin before skipping out of Rachel's room.

Rachel stares at the sinfully short black dress, thong and matching bra laid out in front of her with an open mouth. The audacity of her friends to think it would completely okay for them to go buy her a whole new wardrobe. Oh well, she thinks, as long as they didn't use her own money. Rachel sits herself down on the bed, looking at the clothing laid out beside her with a tiny frown.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you." Kurt says, poking his head back into the room. "We borrowed money from your piggy bank to pay for the clothes." He says with a cheeky grin before disappearing once again.

Rachel groans and falls backwards so she's lying down on the sheets, her eyes gazing up at the intricately painted ceiling. She follows the trial of the stars above her, thinking about how realistic they all look against the dark background. It's truly beautiful. Sparkly gold paint must have been used to twinkle like that, Rachel thinks.

With a huff, Rachel pulls herself up and begins to undress herself, replacing her shorts and white t-shirt with the tight black dress and underwear. She slips on the heels that had fallen onto her floor before making her way over to the vanity. She quickly runs her hands through her hair, making it look messy, but not too messy that it's out of control. Seconds later, Kurt comes walking back in, wearing a navy blue blazer, white v-neck shirt and black trousers, with a makeup bag in his hand. With one hand landing on Rachel's shoulder, her pushes her down onto her bed, before bending over, a brush poised and ready in his hand.

"Hold still." He says as he reaches forward and swipes the brush across Rachel's eyelid. Rachel relaxes and allows Kurt to do her make-up. He's always been so much better in the make-up department than herself. That's why Rachel always sticks to a light layer of mascara before leaving the house - she never has the time or patience to do all of her make-up. Nor does she have the skill to not make herself look like a sad clown hooker.

After a few minutes of breathing exercises to let herself relax as she waits for Kurt to finish, Kurt sings a soft "Tadaa!" before stepping back and letting Rachel inspect his handiwork in the mirror. Dark eye shadow and eyeliner covers her eyes, making the dark chestnut of her iris to really stand out against the white of her eye. A blusher just a skin tone darker than her own is sweeping upon her cheeks lightly, making her cheekbones look more defined than before. Finally, a layer of pink lipstick is painted upon her lips, making them look fuller and bigger. Rachel sucks her bottom lip into her mouth and looks at Kurt through her eyelashes.

Kurt smirks at her. "Hunny, with that look, you're making me almost re-think my sexuality. You'll be fighting off all the girls and boys on that dancefloor." He says.

Rachel releases her lip and grins brightly, clapping as she does so. "Let's go1" She says, grabbing Kurt's hand and dragging him out of her room. She's met with the sight of Santana in a skin tight red dress, similar to Rachel's, leaning against the door looking incredibly bored. She looks over at Rachel, her eyebrows perking up ever so slightly.

"Fucking finally." She says, pushing off the door. "Looking hot, Berry." She says with an approving smirk. She glances over at Kurt. "Not bad, Hummel."

Kurt rolls his eyes and gently pushes Santana's shoulder playfully.

Just as the trio are about to leave the room, Rachel quickly remembers something and rushes back into her room. Picking up her last mint, Rachel tucks it safely away in her bra.

She taps the boob that is holding the mint before walking out to join her friends.

Best to have a minty mouth than a stinky mouth.

* * *

><p>Unbelievable. Just un-fucking-believable. Rachel had a feeling this would happen. It always happens when the trio go out clubbing with each other. Here's how it goes:<p>

They'll arrive together, happy as clams. They'll buy one round of drinks each - shots, most probably - then Santana will find someone to aim her sights on and within five minutes, be practically dry humping that person on the dance floor. So it will just be Rachel and Kurt. However, Kurt will then pick a man out in the crowd himself and approach him. He will only ever come back if the man turns out to be straight, but after living with Santana for nearly a year now, Kurt's gaydar has improved since high school. So, more often than not, there will be only one. That one being Rachel. Rachel will stand around for a bit, smiling shyly at people around her, hoping her friends will soon come back. They never do. So Rachel ends up leaving.

Guess what's happened?

The same thing as always.

Once again, Rachel is left to stand alone at the bar, angrily sipping on a vodka and coke. This is her...third? Possibly. Who knows? Rachel Berry fucking doesn't. All she knows is that she is starting to feel the buzz of the alcohol, and can no longer taste the vodka in her drink. Maybe she's had a few more than she wants to believe.

Rachel glares angrily at the dance floor where she can see Santana happily grinding against a very eager Arabic girl. She's always been envious of how easy it is for Santana to pick up girls. All that girl has to do is smirk in a girl's direction and she's got them into bed with her. It's now the same with Kurt. He has guys approaching him all the time when they go out. Rachel doesn't know if it's because she's always so oblivious to everything or if it is simply because she's unattractive, but it never seems to happen to her.

"Hey there, pretty Lady."

Rachel slowly looks to her right, raising her eyebrow at the man standing beside her. He's wearing an over-confident smirk on his face. Instant turn off for Rachel. As soon as someone is too confident, Rachel is put off. She gives the man a once over. He looks the same age as herself, obviously works out - if the muscles on his arms are anything to go by - and has a god awful mohawk resting on his head. He's let it grown, Rachel thinks, because it looks more like a dead animal on his head than actual hair.

The man doesn't seem to falter at Rachel unimpressed look and instead, leans against the bar. "Can I buy you a drink?" He asks.

The brunette motions to the drink in her hand. "I've got one thank you." She says before turning away. Rachel knows she's being rude, but after five seconds of meeting this man, she's had enough of him.

"I see how it is." The man says, amusement in his voice. "Playing hard to get, I like it."

Rachel rolls her eyes. It's either you're playing hard to get, or you're a bitch if you turn down a guy. "More like I'm not interested."

The man chuckles. "Maybe not now."

"How about, not ever?" Rachel asks, turning to look at him with a fake, sweet smile.

Another laugh escape shim and he holds his hand out to her. "I like you." He says. "I'm Puck."

Rachel raises an eyebrow at this 'Puck' fellow. He only smiles at her and elaborates on his name.

"My real name is Noah Puckerman. My friend's call me Puck."

Rachel places her now empty glass on the bar, turning to stare at the assorment of drinks behind the counter. She patiently waits for the barman to come over to her before asking for a top up. Once he gives it to her, Rachel delicately picks up the glass, turns to look at Noah and takes a sip from her drink.

"It was nice talking to you...Noah." Rachel says before walking away, making sure to walk through the crowd so Noah has no chance of following her.

After swerving in and out of gyrating bodies, Rachel manages to find her way back at the bar, this time on the other side of the club. She sighs in relief and leans against the dark wood, thankful to have gotten away from Noah. She eyes the crowd of dancing people in front of her, trying to find her friends.

As she look at the crowd, a particularly close couple separates from each other for a split second. That's when Rachel sees her. The most beautiful woman she has ever seen.

She can't see her face clearly, due to her face being angled down so she can hear the man sitting next to her, but Rachel saw enough to decide that the woman is certainly very stunning. Then, as if it's in slow motion, the woman lifts her head, her eyes coming to rest on Rachel.

And Rachel heart stops.

Her eyes. They're so vibrant. So captivating. Rachel feels like she's being sucked into them, she can't look away. The brightest green Rachel has ever seen stares at her intensely. Rachel can tell that the woman isn't even listening to the man next to her anymore as the two of them play out their intense staring contest. Then, the woman's eyes move the tiniest bit, to look further down Rachel's face and at her lips. Instinctively, Rachel licks them, stopping a small moan from escaping her. Jesus, all this woman is doing is staring at her and already Rachel is feeling hot all over.

Then, without breaking her gaze, the woman turns to angle her face at the man and excuses herself.

Rachel's pulse begins to race as the woman stands and begins to elegantly make her way through the crowd. She doesn't have to push, shove or duck like Rachel did. The crowd just seems to park for her. Just by walking through them, this woman has commanded them at her wish. It's extraordinary.

Rachel gulps when the woman comes to stop just beside her. Her gaze breaks to look Rachel up and down before a smirk pulls up on the plumpest, pinkest lips Rachel has ever seen.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," The woman says, her husky voice sending shivers down Rachel's spine. "But you must be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

Rachel's dead.

She must have died and gone to heaven. There's no way a woman as stunning as the one in front of her would say that to her. No way. Not at all. But then Rachel's brain catches up to itself and Rachel realises that yes, this beautiful, stunning, sexy woman has said that to her.

"Are you hitting on me?"

Fuck. Why did she say that? Now she sounds like a bitch. Rachel mentally slaps herself. If there is a award for the most stupid thing to say at the wrong moment, Rachel would have won it five times over.

But luckily for Rachel, the woman in front of her doesn't seem to be knocked by her comment. Instead, her smile turns into a grin and she moves to lean next to Rachel.

Oh god. Is that her perfume? She smells so good. Rachel thinks she might faint soon.

"Depends." Her voice goes straight to Rachel's core. "Is it working?" She ask with a cheeky grin.

Oh dear lord that grin. It's making Rachel melt inside. Quick brain, work!

Rachel bites on her straw and looks at the woman through her eyelashes. "You tell me."

And the smirk is back. Green eyes twinkle at Rachel in amusement. The woman-who Rachel now notices is in fact blonde, a gorgeous blonde-shakes her head softly. Green looks away briefly before turning to anchor Rachel down once again.

"I wouldn't call it 'hitting on' per say."

Rachel raises an eyebrow, feeling that the alcohol has now kicked in with full force and given her some confidence. She places her glass down and mimics the blonde's stance. "Oh? And what would you call it?"

"Admiring the truth of what I see."

She's a puddle. Just right there, on the dirty, sticky floor, Rachel is now a puddle.

The blonde stands up straight and holds a hand out to Rachel. "I'm Quinn."

Rachel looks into the blonde-Quinn's eyes, finding that the bright green she saw before has now turned to hazel. She smiles and takes the blonde's hand. "Rachel."

Rachel revels in how soft Quinn's hand is in hers. She also notices how Quinn doesn't remove her hand from Rachel's, and instead, keeps hold of it whilst intently watching her.

"Do you wanna dance?" Quinn asks, gesturing to the dance floor as the next song comes on.

Rachel recognises the first few bars to be 'XO' by Beyonce. She smiles, this song is a personal favourite of hers.

Her heart jumps when Quinn entwined their fingers and starts to pull her into the dancing crowd. Quinn looks over her shoulder a few time at Rachel, her grip on Rachel's hand tightening ever so slightly until they stop right in the middle. Feeling the alcohol pump through her body, the music wrapping itself around her, Rachel lets herself loosen up. Smirking at the blonde in front of her, Rachel throws her hands up into the air and begins to sway her hips to the beat.

She watches as Quinn's eyes follow her hips' movements, before starting to dance in a similar fashion to Rachel. Rachel winks at the blonde and steps a little closer to her, her arms coming to rest on the blonde's shoulders. She moves closer so there's minimal space between their hips, but not so close that they're touching.

Rachel throws her head back when Quinn's hands come to rest on her hips, losing herself in the music and the close proximity between herself and the blonde. Slowly, their hips move closer until they're sensually grinding together. Rachel looks at the blonde, repeating the look she gave Kurt in the hotel room at Quinn. It seems to work as Rachel watches Quinn's eyes grow darker, her lip moving to sit between two rows of perfectly white teeth,

_'In the darkest night hour_

_I'll search through the crowd_

_Your face is all that I see_

_I'll give you everything_

_Baby, love me like XO_

_Baby, love me like XO_

_You can turn my light down'_

Rachel feels her head move closer to the blonde so their cheeks are resting against one another. She feels Quinn's breath in her ear, so soft, soft delicate. She feels weak at the knees. Her senses are on overload. Quinn's touch is burning her skin, her smell is making Rachel's head dizzy. Everything about the blonde in her arms is making her dizzy.

She loves every part of it.

She panics when she feels Quinn pull away. Oh god, what did she do wrong? Is Quinn not comfortable with this closeness? Oh god, she's such an idiot. Of course she's not. This is way too personal-

Fireworks.

That's all Rachel can see right now as Quinn's lips press against her own. The blonde's hands move from her hips to cup her neck and cheek as their lips begin to move against one another. Every connection of their lips is like another firework going off behind Rachel's eyes. At some point during their kiss, a moan is heard, but Rachel isn't sure if it was from herself or Quinn.

Then Rachel feels her lip get pulled between Quinn's teeth and she knows the next moan is from herself. Quinn takes the opportunity to slip her tongue into Rachel's mouth. Rachel grabs the blonde's hair and pulls her closer, almost mounting the woman on the dance floor.

Suddenly Quinn pulls away. Next thing Rachel knows is that she's being dragged through the dance floor and out of the club's doors into the cool Arabic night air.

Then they're in a taxi and back to kissing just as heatedly as they were in the club.

Rachel feels like shes about to explode from want. Before she can even blink, Quinn releases Rachel's lips and moves to her neck, biting and sucking her way along the skin. Rachel releases a throaty moan. She has never wanted a woman more than right now.

There's no denying it. Rachel's going to have-

* * *

><p><em>"Ice cream!"<em>

_Rachel blanches and looks at Lucy with surprise. "It's too late for ice cream, Lucy."_

_Lucy rolls her eyes. "No, not that. Momma told me that you went back to have ice cream together."_

_Rachel looks at her daughter with a strange expression on her face._

_"You looks like you couldn't remember so I thought I would help."_

_"Oh. Thank you." Rachel says, with a smile. "Yes, we had ice cream."_

_"Was it good ice cream?" Alex asks beside Lucy._

_Rachel smiles. "It was the best ice cream I have ever had."_

* * *

><p>They're naked. Clothes have been thrown haphazardly around the room in their haste to undress each other. But Rachel doesn't care. All she cares about is the woman currently lying on top of her and how much she wants her.<p>

She feels Quinn's hand slowly start to trail down her body, making patterns along her stomach and causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. Rachel giggle softly into Quinn's mouth before pulling the blonde closer and pushing her tongue into Quinn's mouth. Quinn moans at her action and stops trailing her finger down Rachel's body. Rachel pulls back from Quinn briefly.

"Stop teasing." Rachel says, her voice husky with arousal. She's never been so aroused in her life.

A smirk graces Quinn's face. The blonde doesn't answer Rachel and instead, leans down to place a delicate kiss against Rachel's lips. When Quinn pulls back, Rachel softly gasps when she looks into Quinn's dark hazel eyes. Quinn is looking at her differently. It's like something changed within Quinn when she kissed Rachel so tenderly. Gone is the lust that was raging in the hazel eyes. Now, now there is something Rachel can't quite place. All she knows is that it is making her heart flutter.

Quinn's face disappears from Rachel's view when she bends down to place kisses all along Rachel's neck, causing the brunette to moan loudly. She feels Quinn chuckle against her skin as she moves further down Rachel's body, her kisses becoming more and more forceful.

A gasp escapes Rachel when she feels cool air blow against her clit. Rachel sits herself up slightly, looking down at the blonde head between her legs. Then, before she can even blink, Quinn's mouth is upon her cunt, her lips wrapping around Rachel's hard clit with an eagerness Rachel has never seen before.

Rachel's eyes slam shut at the sensation of Quinn's lip sucking at her nub, sending wave after wave of pleasure through out her body. Rachel's hand move down to grab onto blonde hair, a loud moan ripping from her body when she feels Quinn's tongue push it's way through her throbbing entrance. She feels her muscles tighten at the feeling of Quinn's tongue pulling in and out of her. Quinn's tongue is soon replaced by fingers when Rachel's feels Quinn place her lips around Rachel's clit once again.

Rachel feels it building. The coil within her belly tightens with each thrust of Quinn's fingers.

Then, with a single curl of Quinn's fingers, the coil comes undone as Rachel tumbles over the edge, white heat ripping through her like a tilde wave. The loudest moan Rachel has ever created leaves her mouth.

Rachel barely registers Quinn moving back up her body and lying down beside her, her mind has been hijacked by something Rachel can only describe in two words.

Pure bliss.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you<strong>

**Question: do you guys want me to continue putting in little cuts that puts you in the present day of Rachel telling the story to Lucy and Alex, or leave that out completely?**

**Xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for your wonderful reviews on the last chapter. As requested, I have continued to include little snippets from the present Rachel and children. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did writing them.**

**I've decided to split this story up into two stories. One is how Rachel and Quinn got together, and it will go right up until the birth of Alex. The next half will be about how and why Quinn and Rachel split. How Rachel ends up telling her children this, I have yet to work out.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>She's warm. Really quite warm. A moan escapes Rachel when she moves her leg and feels a cold spot on the bed. A shiver runs through her and she quickly retracts her leg, causing her knee to dig into a warm surface. Cracking her eye open very slowly, so not to disturb the pounding in her head, Rachel looks over at the body laying next to her. That's when the events of last night catch up to her.<p>

With a gasp, Rachel sits up straight, clutching the sheets to her chest. She groans softly when pain shoots through her head at the sudden movement. How much did she drink last night? Christ. Her mouth feels like someone shoved cotton into it. She desperately tries to create some saliva to moisten her mouth. Rachel looks around the room, noticing that it is not her room. She runs a hand through her knotted hair and looks around for her clothes. Looking over at the sleeping body next to her, Rachel slowly starts to move herself out of the bed, keeping the sheet wrapped around her body.

When Rachel manages to pull herself out of the bed without waking the blonde next to her, she notices that she pulled all of the covers with her, revealing the naked, toned body of the woman. Rachel's slightly moistened mouth goes dry at the sight. She feels her breathing became laboured. Just looking at the woman is almost enough to get Rachel to lie down back beside her.

Quinn. Her name was Quinn. Rachel smiles. Quinn's a pretty name. Shaking her head, Rachel quickly rushes around the room, putting her clothes from last night back, grimacing at how dirty she feels wearing last nights clothes. Rachel doesn't bother putting her heels back on and turns around to face the still sleeping Quinn. Picking up the sheet, Rachel gently lays it over Quinn, covering up the blonde. When the sheet lands on the blonde's body, Quinn lets out a soft sigh and sleepily grabs hold of the sheet, snuggling her face down into the pillow.

Rachel's heart swells at the sight. That was just too adorable, she thinks with a smile. Grabbing her purse, Rachel leaves the room and the sleeping blonde, although she wants nothing more than to stay there.

As Rachel closes the door, she can't help but feel that she's forgotten something. Shrugging it away, Rachel makes her way to the elevator, patiently waiting. When the doors finally open, Rachel's mouth fall open in shock.

Standing in front of her is the man who hit on her last night. The man looks at her with a look of recognition on his face, before slowly, a smirk appears and he walks out of the elevator, coming to a stop beside Rachel.

"Well well, looks like someone is doing the walk of shame this morning." He says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Rachel rolls her eyes and quickly jumps into the elevator. She glares at the man as the doors close, fed up with him already. She sighs and leans against the back wall, just imagining her shower back in her room. She can almost feel the hot water running down her body, the soft hands that ghost across her stomach, the light, husky voice in her ear and thos ebright green-

"Miss."

Rachel opens her eyes, blushing when she notices two pairs of eyes staring at her. She smiles gently at the old man whom she guesses to have called her and sheepishly walks out of the elevator.

"Are you okay dear?" The old lady next to the man asks as Rachel walks past them.

Rachel's blush rises, she can feel the tip of her ears turn red and she nods hastily. "I'm just fine, thank you. Enjoy your day." She says before rushing out of the hotel and into the busy street.

"Fuck." She hisses when her feet touch the burning marble floor. She quickly places her heels back on and hails a taxi. As soon as the cab pulls over, Rachel jumps in and hurriedly says the name of her hotel.

When the vehicle begins to move, Rachel leans back in her seat and takes a deep breath. She places her hand on her chest, trying to calm her bfrantic heart. All she did was think about the blonde she left at the hotel and now her heart is acting crazy.

_"You couldn't stop thinking about her, could you?"_

_Rachel looks away from the wall and to her daughter. A tiny smile graces her face._

_"No, I couldn't."_

If Rachel had known she was going to be ambushed with questions as soon as she arrived at their room, she would have taken some time to prepare herself. Unfortunately, she did not.

"Tell me everything."

Kurt rushes up to her as soon as she opened the door, an eager look on his face. Santana follows him, a smirk on her face.

"Looks like Berry got some last night. So spill, who was the girl?"

Rachel blinks at her two friends and shakes her head. She walks past them both to her bedroom, her friends following her like two puppies.

"Don't just ignore us, Miss Berry." Kurt says, placing his hands on his hips.

"Let us know who rocked your world last night, Hobbit."

Rachel rolls her eyes and strips off her dress. Kurt quickly covers his eyes, whilst Santana continues watching her, unfazed by the half naked Rachel.

"Guys, I'm really tired and dirty, can you please just let me have a shower and a nap before asking me anything that involves me thinking."

"Oh you are not having a nap, young lady!" Kurt exclaims, dropping his hand.

Rachel ignores him and grabs a nearby towel and her toiletries. She walks to her bathroom, hearing her friends following, she closes the door and locks it to keep them out.

"Why not?" She asks through the door as she begins to strip off her underwear. She reaches into the shower and turns it on, squealing at the burst of cold water that hits her arm.

"Because we are going to meet with ym models today before the show, which starts in four hours! We have to be there at least an hour before it starts."

"Come on, Berry, open up! It's nothing I haven't seen before."

Rachel rolls her eyes again and steps into the now warm shower, sighing at the delicious heat that hits her skin. She grimaces at the dirt and grime she sees swirl down the drainpipe before reaching for her shampoo.

"I won't have a nap." She shouts as she massages the shampoo into her hair. She hears Kurt yell triumphantly. "But, that's on the condition that when I am finished, you do not ask me question about last night."

There's silence, the only sound being the shower. Rachel smiles in victory and reaches for her soap.

"Fine." She hears Kurt grumble before footsteps walk away.

Rachel places her head against the tiled wall, sighing at the peace she's finally able to have. Her mind drifts back to the night before and the bright green eyes that grabbed her attention across the dance floor. To Rachel, the way she and Quinn met feels almost like a fairytale - stories she only heard or saw in movies, in the rom-coms that every girl watches, just wishing, hoping that such a meeting will happen to them. If she really thinks about it, if things between herself and Quinn were to progress any further, then yes, it would be exactly like those romantic comedies she watched when she was younger.

Their eyes met across a crowded dance floor, they approached each other. They flirted, Quinn made Rachel blush. There's this instant connection between the two. Then, they proceed to have the best sex Rachel has ever had together, full of lust and upcoming romance. Rachel leaves the next morning, only to have Quinn chase after her, admit her undying love for her and they live happily ever after.

Well, that is what would have happened if it was a movie. But it's not. This is real life. Though, Rachel has to admit that last night, whilst there was lust between the two of them, there was something else, something that Rachel couldn't recognise.

Turning off the shower, Rachel grabs her towel and begins her vigorous morning routine, starting with her ice cold water face wash.

Once she's finished feeling rejuvenated and minty fresh, Rachel changes into the outfit that Kurt obviously set out on her bed for her. Looking at the underwear laid out for her, Rachel can tell that Santana picked that out for her. Rachel rolls her eyes. She's not five years old, she can dress herself.

"Rachel!"

Rachel sighs and walks out of her room, fully dressed and glares at Kurt. "Yes?" She asks, running a towel through her wet hair.

Kurt stands at the door to their room and turns round, a smile on his face. The way Kurt is standing, he's blocking Rachel's view of whoever is on the other side of the door. Rachel glances over at Santana, but the Latina is sat on one of the armchairs, looking bored to death as she flicks through one of the magazines left on the table.

"You have a visitor." He says.

Rachel slowly walks up to him, a confused expression on her face. Before Kurt moves out of the way, he leans forward, placing his lips near Rachel's ear.

"Congrats, she's cute." He whispers before tapping her shoulder and walking away,giving Rachel the room to step up to the door.

When Rachel's eyes land on the figure standing in the doorway, her mouth falls open in shock. There, standing before her is none other than Quinn. Quinn from last night. Quinn, the woman who Rachel couldn't stop thinking about after leaving the hotel room. Quinn who is standing in front of her in a maroon t-shirt that says "free pugs", denim shorts and a sheepish, almost nervous expression on her face.

The Quinn in front of her looks completely different to the Quinn she met last night. She no longer look confident and although still beautiful, she's not looking glamorous like she did.

"Hey."

Oh god that voice. It sends shivers down Rachel's spine once again.

"Q-Quinn, what are you doing here?" Rachel asks.

Quinn glances over Rachel's shoulder before looking back at her. She licks her lips, causing Rachel's eyes to dart down to the movement. "You left this back in my hotel room."

Rachel looks down at Quinn's hands, a gasp escaping her when she sees the pillow mint she put in her bra last night. On the front of the mint lies the name of her hotel.

_"That's what you thought you left behind."_

_Rachel nods at her son. "It is indeed."_

_"So the mint is important." Lucy says, her eyes wide with interest._

_Rachel purses her lips and looks between her two children. Both of them have moved so they're lying on their stomachs, pillows under their chins._

_"In some ways, yes." Rachel says, moving to mimic her kids positions. "But, soon you'll find out that the mint may not have been needed."_

"Oh." Rachel says. "Thank you." She reaches out and grasps the mint. She feels goosebumps along her arm when her finger softly grazes the skin of Quinn's palm.

She watches as Quinn moves her hand back and rubs at her neck. She looks really nervous. It's cute.

"Actually, the mint wasn't the only reason why I came here. It helped a lot though, otherwise I would have had to of gone to every hotel in this area and that would have been extremely tedious." Rachel smiles at the blonde when she pauses in her talking and closes her eyes, shaking her head at herself. "Sorry, I tend to ramble when I'm nervous." Quinn says.

Rachel leans her head against the door and bits her lip to hold back a smile. Quinn glances over her shoulder again, causing Rachel to look over her shoulder. She glares at Kurt and Santana who are doing a very bad job at trying to look like they're not eavesdropping, with their heads poking out of their bedroom doors.

"Anyway," Rachel looks back to the blonde. "I was wondering whether you wanted to go for a walk with me? Along the beach or something." Quinn shoves her hands into her pockets, looking up at Rachel through her lashes.

Rachel melts at the sight, but sighs regretfully. "I would love to, Quinn."

"But?" Quinn cracks a small smile, though her eyes sparkle in sadness.

"Kurt wants me to come with him to-"

"No I don't! I have Santana, that's all I need." Kurt yells, quickly shutting Rachel up.

Not really wanting to argue with Kurt because, really, Rachel really does want to go with Quinn, it's sounds like much more fun than listening to Kurt bark orders out. Rachel grins at Quinn before quickly saying, "Let me grab my bag."

* * *

><p>Rachel and Quinn walk side by side in silence as they walk on the beach. Rachel's flats sway in her hand as she walks. She loves the feeling of sand on your feet, especially sand as soft as this. She looks out to the water, marvelling at how clear and blue it is. The only downside Rachel can think of about living in New York is the fact there's no beaches nearby. It's just concrete jungle after concrete jungle.<p>

"I'm glad you said yes."

Quinn's voice causes Rachel to look away from the sparkling blue sea to Quinn, who's also got her shoes in her hand, lightly kicking up the sand with every step she takes. Rachel feels like Quinn is holding back on her kicks, like the blonde just wants to run through the sand, making it fly everywhere.

Rachel bites her lip. "So am I." Rachel watches as Quinn sighs gently and runs a hand through her hair and then huffing when a few strands fall back into her eyes. It makes Rachel grin.

"You're holding back."

Green eyes dart over to her, a perfect eyebrow arches slowly. "What?"

Rachel motions down to the sand being lightly kicked up by Quinn. "You're holding back." she repeats. Rachel stops and places her shoes down on the sand. "If you're going to kick the sand, do it with more power." Then, before Quinn can reply, Rachel goes charging off through the sand, kicking her legs with all her power and sending sand flying in the air. She runs around Quinn, doing it a few times, grinning at the melodic laugh that escapes the blonde woman.

Scooping up her shoes and grabbing Quinn's hand, Rachel drags the woman along, kicking up the sand as she does so. She grins when Quinn appears at her side, also kicking up the sand as high as it can go. With a sly grin, Rachel angles her foot so she kicks sand in Quinn's direction. Thankfully, Quinn's reflexes were fast enough the she covered her eyes at the onslaught of sand heading towards her. Her laugh fills Rachel's ears.

"Oh you're going to get it."

Before Rachel can make a run for it, she feels Quinn's strong arms wrap around her mid section and lifts her off the ground. Rachel drops her shoes with a sqeuak and laughs and Quinn spins her around. Rachel feels the sand that was in Quinn's hair hit against her face as they spin.

Rachel hears it before she feels it, but Quinn loses her footing, causing a amused "Oh shit!" to sound in Rachel ear before she feels herself tumble towards the ground and land on top of Quinn.

Quinn groans in pain and slowly, her groan turns into a laugh. Rachel finds the blonde's laugh infectious and she too begins to laugh, acutely aware that she is still lying on top of Quinn. Blushing, Rachel rolls off Quinn to lie beside her.

_"How come you and Momma always yelled at me and Alex when we kicked up the sand?"_

_Rachel gives her daughter a look, her chin now resting on one of Lucy's cuddly toys. "The sand you were kicking up, young lady, had rocks in. You could have harmed one of us." Rachel scolds, remembering the family holiday the four of them took together._

_They were so happy then. She and Quinn as in love as the day they met. Everything's changed so much._

_"Why do you always get to have the fun?"_

_"Because I am an adult and you are not."_

_"But children are meant to have the fun, adults are just boring."_

_Rachel gasps and looks over at her son who's softly giggling at the two girls. "Alex, you don't think I'm boring do you?"_

_"You're the best Mommy." Alex says with a grin._

_"Suck up."_

_"Lucy!"_

_"What? He is!"_

_"Lets just continue the story."_

Once their giggles simmer down, the two women just lay side by side, staring up at the clear blue sky.

"Wow, I haven't had that much fun since…"

Rachel turns her head to look at Quinn and raises her own eyebrow. "Since?"

Quinn turns to meet Rachel's gaze, a smirk pulling up on her face. "Well, since last night." She says with a wink.

Rachel feels the blush creep up again and looks away, clearing her throat. She fidgets slightly, feeling herself get a little hot.

"Rachel."

The serious tone that's overtaken Quinn's voice makes Rachel turn her head to the blonde, giving her her undivided attention.

Quinn hesitates and briefly looks away from Rachel. Rachel watches as she licks her lips, seemingly contemplating what she's going to say next.

"I don't normally do this."

Rachel's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Do what?"

"What we're doing now. I don't normally wake up the morning after and feel disappointed that I'm alone in the bed. I'm normally relieved because then that means I don't have to kick the girl out and be an ass towards her. I don't normally wake up with thoughts of the girl I spent the night with on my mind, I don't normally want to see the girl again."

Rachel looks away from Quinn, dread coursing through her body. "Oh." She quietly says.

She hears Quinn sit up, grains of sand lightly falling onto her skin as Quinn does so.

"Rachel, I have never wanted to go out and find the girl I slept with. I don't crave to feel her touch again, to just look at her again, even if that's just one second."

Rachel nods and also sits up, turning her body so she's facing Quinn. She feels a smile tug at the corners of her mouth as she processes what Quinn is struggling to say.

"What I'm trying to say is - I really want to see you again. I want to spend time with you, away from a nightclub, away from a hotel room. Just you and me. Like we did today. I enjoyed just walking along this beach with you."

Before Quinn can continue, Rachel leans forward and very gently, places her lips upon Quinn's. She pulls back and tucks a strand behind her ear. She bites her lip before shyly asking "Do you wanna come to this fashion show with me this afternoon?"

Quinn looks at Rachel with slightly red cheeks and a lazy smile on her face. "Are you asking me to be your date?"

Rachel copies Quinn's smile. "Yeah, I am."

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Quinn says. "I think I'm going to the same show anyway."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, my friend, Brittany is modelling for some new up and coming designer. He's meant to be really good or something." Quinn says with a wave of her hand. She pauses then grabs Rachel's hand, tangling their fingers together. Rachel grins at their hands, loving the way they fit so perfectly together. "I will, of course, be your date."

_"So that's why the mint wouldn't have been needed." Lucy says with a gasp._

_Rachel nods. "We were both going to the same fashion show."_

_"It's like fate."_

_Rachel tilts her head down, her fingers lightly picking at the fur on the teddy bear. "Yeah, it was_."

**Thank you for reading. I was going to make this chapter longer, but I felt that this would be a nice place to end it. The next chapter will be the fashion show, but then also fast forward through a few things just to speed things up.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! I'm so sorry this chapter took so long, I've been busy with coursework and mock exams that I haven't found the time to sit down and just write. But I finally have and here is the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy and thank you for your reviews - keep em coming! I love hearing your opinions on all of this and if you have any ideas, feel free to voice them.**

* * *

><p>The week flew by and before Rachel knew it, she was back walking along the same beach she had the first morning she was here. Her flip flops once again hang in her hands, gently hitting against her thigh as she walks, her feet kicking up the sand beneath her. She breathes in the salty air, trying to memorize the smell, for in five hours she's going to be on a plane back to New York, where there is no beach quite like this one. She listens hard to the soft sound of the waves of the clear blue ocean, trying to remember the sound of the water washing onto shore.<p>

She also tightens her hand around the one she's holding onto, wanting to memorize how this feels, to hold someone's hand along a beach. She looks to the blonde walking beside her, her smile falling at the expression on Quinn's face. Rachel stops them from walking and turns her body to face Quinn.

"What's wrong?"

Quinn looks up at Rachel and bites her lips before shaking her head and looking away. Rachel lightly holds Quinn's chin in her fingers and turns her head to face her.

"Hey," She says gently. "Tell me."

The blonde before her takes a deep breath and takes a step back from Rachel. "I have something to ask you, Rach."

Rachel's heart flutters at the nickname. Over the past week, Quinn would call Rachel by that nickname and each time, Rachel's heart would react in exactly the same way. Rachel studies Quinn, picking out the traits of nervous Quinn that Rachel has gotten to see these last few days.

After their walk along the beach and the fashion show, Rachel and Quinn spent nearly every second with each other. Kurt and Santana didn't seem to mind, Kurt was pre-occupied by the offers flying at him to design clothes for big companies, whilst Santana had her own life no occupied by Quinn's friend Brittany - who happened to be one of Kurt's models. Everyday, the pair would find themselves doing something different with their day.

One day, they found themselves at one of dubai's street races where the rich men would race their sports cars through the street. For someone who's not that big on cars and racing, Rachel loved it. The atmosphere was so real and lively. It also helped that she had a beautiful women by her side the entire time. However, every evening, the pair would always find themselves back at one of their hotel rooms and fall into bed together, their night soon becoming filled with passion.

* * *

><p>"<em>How much ice cream did you have?" Alex asks with wide, excited eyes.<em>

_Rachel blinks, realising that her eyes had glazed over slightly and turns her attention to her son. "A lot." She says with a soft sigh._

"_What flavours?" Lucy asks, looking equally as excited as Alex._

"_All of them."_

"_Yeah, but which ones were your favourite.?"_

_Rachel clears her throat awkwardly, not really wanting to discuss such a topic to her children. Sure, they think she actually means ice cream, but Rachel knows what she means and so knows it won't be right to talk to her children about the different 'flavours' her and Quinn tried._

"_That doesn't matter."_

"_I really want some ice cream now, Ma." Alex says._

"_No, you just brushed your teeth."_

"_I want some too Mom."_

"_Neither of you are having ice cream and that's it." Rachel says, crossing her arms over her chest. She narrows her eyes at her two children, who both have puppy dog eyes and pouts on their faces._

_**5 minutes later**_

"_Are you happy now?" Rachel asks as she watches her children dig into the ice cream she went and got them._

_Lucy swallows the mouthful of neapolitan ice cream she's stuffed into her mouth. "Ya, we're good."_

"_Alex?" Rachel raises an eyebrow at her son, holding back a chuckle when she spots the chocolate ice cream that is covering the whole of his mouth._

_Her gives her a closed mouth smile, nodding his head vigorously._

"_Good."_

* * *

><p>During the days they spent together, the pair would talk about anything and everything. Rachel learnt that Quinn dreams of being a full time editor and is at the moment, flying around the world for the travel book company she's temping at. Rachel told Quinn all about her dreams of becoming a broadway star. Sometimes, they would talk about mundane things, places they want to see, films they enjoyed, ect.<p>

Other times, when they would just spend the day lying in bed together, they would talk about the more personal subjects. Rachel spoke about the prejudice she faced when she was younger for having two gay dads, how she was bullied in school for being too ambitious and in turn, Quinn talked about her alcoholic parents, how she struggled by herself for a year when her Dad found out she was gay and kicked her out.

So after spending nearly every second of this trip together, Rachel has picked up on Quinn's behaviours.

"I'm leaving tonight and heading to Italy. You're leaving in the morning and heading back to New York."

Rachel nods slowly, not quite seeing where this is going.

"We're going to be four thousand miles away from each other, and quite frankly, I'm dreading it." Quinn licks her lips, her eyes staring right at Rachel. Rachel shivers a little at the look Quinn is giving her, it's something she can't place but has seen it on Quinn before.

"I am too." Rachel says, stepping closer to Quinn.

Quinn smiles slightly and lets out a puff of air. She runs her hand through her hair. "I don't want to be so far away from you, Rach. I've never-" Quinn hesitates before closing her eyes briefly. "You make me feel things I have never felt before. I don't want to leave tonight without you, because I fear that if I do, then that will be it. I will lose you."

"Quinn-"

A finger is pressed to Rachel's lips. Rachel looks up into sparkling, pleading hazel eyes. "Just, let me finish, please." Quinn pleads, before removing her finger from Rachel's mouth. "My way of living, the choices I have made...they all meant that I kept people at a distance from me, all bar Puck and Brittany." Rachel refrains rolling her eyes at the mention of Quinn's crude friend. "But I couldn't do that with you, I can't do that with you. I know we've only known each other for a week, but I feel like I've known you for so much longer."

Rachel watches as Quinn takes shaky breath before pulling something out of her back pocket. "That's why I bought this ticket." The blonde says, her eyes beginning to fill with confidence.

Rachel looks down at the ticket, noticing the logo of an airline in the left hand corner.

"I know that you feel the same way about me, Rach. Well, at least I think I do." Quinn chuckles softly. "And if you do, you will come with me to Italy. Tonight." She holds the ticket out to Rachel.

"Why?" Rachel asks, still staring at the ticket in Quinn's hand.

"Because I want to be with you, Rachel. I don't want to go without seeing you for however long it might be. And I know that you do." She pushes the ticket into Rachel's hand and clasps her hand, pressing down on Rachel's fingers so she clasps the ticket.

"If you decide to come, I'll be waiting for you." Quinn says, before leaning forward and placing a kiss upon Rachel's cheek before turning around and walking away.

Rachel stares at Quinn's back, her mouth hanging open in shock at what Quinn has just said. She's asking her to...run away with her? To leave her friends and her life in New York to go to Italy with someone she's only known for a week. Someone that during this week, she has opened up to with more ease than any of her friends. This woman, with only a single look across a dance floor has walked into Rachel's life and flipped it upside down.

Rachel looks down at the ticket in her hand, her finger rubbing at the ink that tells her where she would be going. She bites her lip and looks up, spotting the small figure of the beautiful blonde walking away.

* * *

><p>"<em>So what did you do?"<em>

_Rachel smirks at her children, reclining backwards on the bed. They are both staring at her with wide eyes, looks of anticipation on their faces, their bowls of ice cream long forgotten._

_Rachel looks down and the princess bed sheet beneath her, picking at the cotton before looking back up at her children._

_She's trying to make this as dramatic as possible - shocking, she knows - and by the impatient looks on her children's faces, it's working._

"_I got on the plane."_

* * *

><p><strong>3 months later<strong>

"Are you sure about this?"

"More than anything."

"We can wait, I understand if you want your friends and family here."

"Quinn, I'm fine. All I need is you."

The blonde in front of her takes a deep breath, a beautiful smile breaking out on her face. "I wish I dressed up a bit more for this, though." She says, looking down at her button up shirt and black jeans.

Rachel rolls her eyes and grabs onto the blonde's shoulders. "You look absolutely perfect."

"Not as perfect as you."

Rachel blushes, looking down at the simple summer dress she's wearing. She looks back up and leans forward, placing a soft kiss against Quinn's lips.

"Ready?" She asks.

Quinn grins and nods. "Ready."

Taking Quinn's hand, Rachel turns towards the man standing in front of them, dressed in his best clothing.

"Are you ready to begin?" He asks, shifting the book in his left hand onto the podium in front of him.

The couple nod, their eyes staying focused on each other.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together Quinn Fabray and Rachel Berry in holy matrimony…"

Rachel drowns out the sound of the priest, instead becoming solely focused on the beautiful blonde standing in front of her. Under the italian sun, the blonde looks stunning, the sun radiating behind her head like a halo. If you were to tell Rachel three months ago that she was going to marry a beautiful blonde woman at a small chapel in venice, but without the whole big white wedding celebration, Rachel would have laughed in your face and then showed you the power point presentation she put together as kid, telling you all about her dream wedding, with bullet points that go down to every last detail.

If you had told her that instead of having her Daddies and close friends sitting in the pews, witnessing her wedding, she had an old farmer, a drunk and a pregnant woman who cleans hotel rooms, Rachel would have choked on her own spit. If you had told her that instead of a big white dress and bridesmaids wearing pink bridesmaid dresses, she would be standing alone, in front of the one she was to wed, wearing a simple red floral summer dress and black flats, Rachel would have cried with laughter.

If you had told her that she didn't care about all those details, that all she cared about was the woman she met three months ago, standing in front of her, Rachel would have believed you for about ten seconds, before falling onto the floor and rolling around in laughter.

But yet, here she is, in exactly that setting, standing in front of what Rachel has come to realise is the love of her life. She doesn't care that she's only known Quinn for three months, she doesn't care that she hasn't told Kurt and Santana about this, even after talking on the phone with them last night. All she knows is that she's about to marry the most amazing woman she has ever met, a woman who quit her job at the travel company just so she could stay with Rachel longer in Italy.

"...Does anyone have the rings?"

Rachel blinks and looks around the room, spotting the old farmer making his way up the aisle very slowly, his hands holding a folded up piece of cloth in his hands. He grins at Rachel when he finally makes it up the alter. He slowly opens up the folded lilac cloth, presenting two very plain rings to the two women.

"Quinn, can you please take the ring you wish to give to Rachel." The priest asks, his italian accent thick.

Quinn does so, her fingers shaking ever so slightly. Rachel reaches out and places a calming hand on top of Quinn's shaking ones.

"It's okay." Rachel whispers. "Take your time."

Quinn grins at Rachel before glancing over at the priest. The priest raises his eyebrow, and when he receives a nod from Quinn, continues.

"Repeat after me. 'I, Quinn Fabray'"

"I, Quinn Fabray."

"Take you, Rachel Berry."

"Take you, Rachel Berry."

"To be my lawfully wedded wife,"

"To be my lawfully wedded wife,"

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse,"

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse,"

"For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,"

"Til death do us part."

"Til death do us part."

Rachel grins brightly at Quinn, only to have the smile returned.

"Can you please place the ring upon Rachel's finger."

With trembling fingers, Quinn does so. All the while, Rachel doesn't break eye contact with her.

When the ring is on, the priest asks for Rachel to repeat the same thing to Quinn. As she speaks, Rachel watches as love shines in Quinn's eyes, causing her heart to flutter hard. She's never been looked at with so much love before.

Rachel's fingers also tremble as she places her ring to Quinn on Quinn's slender finger. She and Quinn chuckle breathlessly.

"By the power vested in me, I pronounce you Wife, and Wife. You may kiss the bride."

Without wasting a single second, Rachel jumps into Quinn's arms, wrapping her arms around her shoulder and pressing her lips against the blonde's. Quinn's arms hold her steady against her body, her hands resting on Rachel's hips. They kiss vigorously, before awkwardly pulling apart when the priest clears his throat.

Clearing her own throat, Quinn holds her arms out to Rachel, who graciously takes it. Together, they walk down the aisle as a married couple.

* * *

><p>"<em>What did Grandpa and Grandad say?" Lucy asks.<em>

_Rachel removes the now melted ice cream off the bed and place sit on Lucy's bed side table. Alex has changed his position so his head is in Rachel lap, so voices his annoyance at Rachel's movement. Rachel chuckles at her little boy and moves back to her position. "Sorry Little Guy." She says, running her hands through his hair._

_Rachel sighs and looks up at Lucy. "Do you remember how your Momma and I reacted when we found out that you had taken the pink paint out of the garage and decided to decorate the kitchen with it whilst Uncle Puck was looking after you?"_

_Lucy nods, wincing slightly. "Yeah, you were pretty angry with me."_

_Rachel shakes her head. "Do you remember how we shouted at your Uncle Puck for being so careless because he let you go into a room that had dangerous equipment?"_

_Lucy's eyes widen and a gasp escapes her lips. "You were really mad at him."_

_Rachel scratches lightly at Alex's head, watching as he tries to fight to stay awake. "Yeah, well think about how angry we were then and multiply it by about one hundred. That was how your Grandad reacted."_

* * *

><p><strong>3 weeks later<strong>

"You're married!"

Rachel flinches at the angry expression on her Dad's-Hiram-face. She glances over at her Daddy, Leroy, who's sat silent in his armchairs, his eyes watching Rachel and her wife. He hasn't said anything since she and Quinn announced their marriage.

"Yes, Dad." Rachel says, she looks over at Quinn who smiles softly at her and grabs her hand.

"How long have you known her?" Hiram asks, shouting once again.

"About four months."

The look on Hiram's face becomes monstrous, the vein is his neck popping out furiously against his bright red skin. Rachel unconsciously moves a little closer to Quinn, who much like her daddy, has stayed silent.

"Four months!" He roars. "You've known this woman for four months and already you're married!"

"Dad, I love her." Rachel says, starting to become angry at her Dad's reaction. "And she loves me."

"How can you love someone you've only known for four months? You're acting like some love struck fifteen year old, Rachel!"

"I am a grown woman, Father!" Rachel says heatedly. "I can make my own decisions and know when I am in love with someone."

Hiram rolls his eyes at his daughter before turning his attention to the blonde sat next to Rachel. Rachel hears Quinn gulp and squeezes her hand.

"What did you do then? Offer Rachel some money? To get her the best role of her life on Broadway, huh? What did you bribe my daughter with?"

At her Dad's words, Rachel stands up in anger, her face matching Hiram's furious one. She places her hands on her hips and stares him down.

"How dare you insinuate that Quinn bribed me to marry her!" Rachel shouts. "How dare you when you don't know the first thing about us!"

"I know enough to know that you can't marry that woman after only knowing each other for four months! It's absolutely ridiculous!"

"My _wife_," Rachel growls, "Has a name. Her name is Quinn and I would appreciate it if you stopped referring to my wife as 'that woman'" Rachel sits herself down in a huff, crossing her arms in anger.

Hiram glares at his daughter before turning his attention to his husband sitting silently in his chair, observing the situation. "Leroy, please tell me you see how utterly stupid and ridiculous this was."

Rachel looks between her fathers. Her eyes focus solely on Leroy, who's still looking at his husband with a neutral expression. However, when Rachel sees the tiniest twinkle in his eye, she has to physically stop herself from dancing. She presses her hands down onto her thighs, trying to stop the urge to bounce. When Hiram huffs in anger and throws his arms up, Rachel knows he's seen the twinkle too. With a glare in Quinn's direction, Hiram storms out of the room. Rachel hears Quinn chuckle from beside her.

"What?" Rachel asks, making sure to keep her voice quiet so Leroy doesn't pick up on them chatting.

"I now know where you perfected your storm out from."

Rachel smiles softly at her wife and rolls her eyes good heartedly. When she hears her Daddy clear his throat, Rachel's smile quickly drops and she gulps a little. Turning very slightly in her seat so she's closer to Quinn, Rachel watches as Leroy stands up from the chair and slowly makes his way over to them. Her hand automatically grabs for Quinn's when Leroy sets his eyes on the blonde beside her.

"Do you love my daughter?"

Rachel blinks slowly, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Yes."

Her daddy's eyes briefly glance over to her before settling back on her wife. He stands up straighter and rolls his shoulders back. "If you two were held at gunpoint, and the offender turned the gun towards Rachel, would you stand in front of Rachel, tackle the offender or run?"

Rachel looks over at Quinn and watches as Quinn sits up straighter, her chin lifting in confidence. Rachel smiles at this.

"I would stand in front of Rachel."

"Why?"

Quinn answers straight away. "Running away is cowardly, I would be doing wrong by my wedding vows if I was to run. Tackling him is pointless, he could pull the trigger before I even reached him and still manage to shoot Rachel. Standing in front of her means I am protecting her, doing my duty as her wife." Quinn looks over at Rachel and grabs her hand.

"I meant it when I said til death do us part." Quinn says to Rachel, causing Rachel's heart to soar, before the blonde turns her attention away to look at the man standing before her. "I would happily put Rachel's life before mine, Sir. I love your daughter and she loves me, and I know that it will make her so incredibly happy to gain your acceptance at our, admittedly, hasty marriage."

Rachel doesn't move her eyes away from Quinn's face. She's so in love with this woman it's unreal. Everything she just said is what Rachel has always wanted to hear and more. Apart from the hasty part, she will need to talk to Quinn about that.

When the sound of her Daddy's hearty chuckle rings in her ears, Rachel finally turns away from her wife to her Daddy who is looking at the two of them with the warmest expression.

"I accepted your marriage as soon as you walked through out door." He says. "If anyone is able to get my little girl to have a small wedding with nothing fancy or flashy and still get to have her looking at them like she is now," Rachel blinks, blushing at her Daddy's teasing. "The she must really love you. I have no doubt about that." He smiles warmly at Rachel before opening his arms. "Come here baby girl."

Immediately, Rachel jumps up and allows herself to be wrapped up in warm familiar arms. Rachel steps away from him, a beaming smile on her face. Her smile only grows when Leroy turns to Quinn and opens his arms to her.

"You too, Quinn. You're part of the family now."

When Quinn has finished being hugged by her Daddy, Rachel quickly moves to grab hold of Quinn's hand.

"Don't worry about your Dad, sweetheart." Leroy says, placing a gentle hand on Rachel shoulder. "He's just angry that he didn't get to give his little girl away."

Rachel sighs and nods, hoping that that is just it.

* * *

><p><em>"Was it?"<em>

_Rachel looks up from the sleeping face of her son to look at her daughter. "Was it what?"_

_"Was that why Grandpa was angry?"_

_"Mostly, yes. But he was still unsure about whether Momma's intentions were strictly for love."_

_Lucy swings her body to the side, so she's leaning upside down over the edge of her bed. "What changed his mind?"_

_Trying not to jog the sleeping Alex, Rachel gently coaxes Lucy to sit up. "Your Momma did."_

_"What did she do?"_

_Rachel runs her hands through her son's soft hair and thinks back to the Christmas Eve Rachel, Quinn and her fathers spent together._

_"She told Grandpa the truth. You should know this part, Momma told you her side."_

_Lucy sighs dramatically and rolls her body once again so she's leaning over the edge of her bed. "Yes but I was wondering if you knew."_

_"Of course I did. Your mother and I told each other everything."_

_"If you told each other everything, then why do you think Momma was lying to you earlier?"_

_The hand running through Alex's hair freezes and Rachel looks up at her daughter, who's now rolled so her feet are flat against the headboard of her bed. "What?"_

_"I heard you earlier, when you were talking to Finn. You don't think Momma actually did that, do you?" Lucy rolls over once again and sits up, staring at Rachel with watery puppy dog eyes._

_Rachel inhales a shaky breath and removes her hand from Alex's hair. He grumbles softly in his sleep, making Rachel stop her movements as she panics that she woke him up. Both Rachel and Lucy watch Alex with a bated breath, before both of them release a relieved sigh simultaneously when he just rolls over and snuggles his face further into Rachel's lap._

_Rachel looks up at her daughter and bites her lip. "I don't know, kiddo."_

* * *

><p><strong>5 hours earlier.<strong>

Quinn growls in anger at all the paper on her desk. Sue had just come into her office, demanding she re-edit the darn book because she didn't like the changes and neither did the author. With an insult about how Quinn reminds Sue of her younger self, Sue left Quinn with the first version of the damn book and an even shorter deadline.

Tomorrow morning.

Six a.m sharp.

No excuses.

Quinn wouldn't have had to of made all those changes if the book had been written well in the first place. Seriously, who makes a fucking vampire sparkle? It's ridiculous. She looks at the time on her computer and growls again. The kids need to be picked up in thirty minutes. Biting her lip, Quinn makes a decision that she's going to regret in about two minutes time.

Moving her mouse, Quinn clicks on the Skype icon and then clicks on the contact 'Crazy bitch' before leaning back in her chair and waiting patiently for the phone to be picked up.

"Q, what could you possibly say to me that you didn't already say when I was in your office?"

Quinn refrains from rolling her eyes at her boss. She didn't actually have a chance to say anything to Sue before the tracksuit loving woman stormed out. A storm out that could rival Quinn's wife's. She flinches slightly, she means soon to be ex wife.

"I'm really sorry, Sue, but I have to go pick up my kids. Can I get this back to you by the end of the week? I'll even go without pay."

Quinn watches as Sue's eyes narrow. "Why would you want to spend your time with those little chirpy, mini Barbra Streisand mouth breathers when you could spend your time editing a book that's going to get me money?"

Anger boils within Quinn at the way Sue described her children. Sure, Alex will probably follow in his Mommy's footsteps and go onto Broadway, but her kids are no way in hell, mouth-breathers. "Don't talk about my kids in that way."

Sue's eyes become dangerous as she stares at Quinn through the webcam. "Because you all of a sudden decided to grow some balls, Q, I'm going to give you an ultimatum. 1) You will stay in tonight, get your Streisand wannabe wife to look after you kids, and finish the damn book or B) You are fired and I will make sure you can never find another editing job in New York City - heck, even in the whole of this great nation, for the goddamn rest of your life. But don't worry, you'll have your children." Sue gives Rachel a fake, plastic smile.

Quinn bites her lip and looks over to the work on her desk and then to the phone resting just beside the papers. Quinn needs this job, she's at the top of her career, working in the biggest editing company in the whole of New York.

"But, Sue, I haven't seen my kids for the past few weeks because of this book." Quinn pleads.

"I've given you your choices, Q."

Knowing that she's going to get bad karma for her decision, Quinn reaches forward and picks up the book.

"Good choice, Q. Now, get out of my sight, I can smell the stench of your self-pity from here."

The screen goes black and Quinn collapses back into her chair, running a hand down her exhausted face. Quinn picks up the phone on the desk and types out a message to the number she's had memorized for years.

Once the text has sent, Quinn reaches towards her desk phone and presses a button for the secretary,

"Jenny."

"Hey Quinn."

"Do you mind grabbing me some coffee please? I feel like I'm going to need it."

"Sure thing."

Five minutes later, Jenny walks in with two cups of coffee and a dunkin donut bag. Quinn looks up at her secretary, rolling her eyes at the grin on her face.

"Don't laugh."

"Who's laughing?" Jenny says, walking further into the room and handing Quinn the coffee she brought. "I got some donuts as well."

"You're a life saver." Quinn says before opening the bag and picking out a bear claw.

"And you look like a mess." Jenny says, hiding her grin behind her cup.

Quinn blinks. Jenny's face has all of a sudden been replaced with Rachel's, and instead of being in the office, she's sat in the local coffee shop down the road from their apartment. Rachel's looking at her just like Jenny was.

As fast as it was there, it's gone again and Quinn's once again sat in her office, surrounded by the book.

"You know how to compliment a girl, Jenny." Quinn says sarcastically.

Jenny clicks her tongue and places the coffee down. "What's the Sue-meister burdened you with now?"

"Have a guess."

"The book?"

Quinn flings her hands out, "Ding ding, we have a- oh shit, fuck." As Quinn swung her hands out, she knocked over her coffee, causing it to spill over the papers on her desk, her phone and her shirt.

Immediately, Jenny jumps up and begins to help Quinn try and salvage the anything they can.

Quinn distantly hears her phone ringing, but in her haste to try and find her bag where she always packs a spare shirt for situations such as this - when having a five year old child who enjoys making mud pies, Quinn has learnt is always good to carry extra clothing - she doesn't quite recognise the ring tone.

Quinn rushes round her office, desperately trying to find her bag, when Jenny stops her and holds it up in front of her face.

"Oh - thank you."

Quinn takes the bag and removes her spare shirt. She looks up at Jenny who's still watching her. "Do you mind?" Quinn asks, gesturing for her to turn round.

"Oh." Jenny quickly turns round giving Quinn her privacy.

Just as Quinn finishes buttoning her shirt, she hears her phone ringing. Pushing papers out of the way, Quinn accidentally sends her phone flying onto the floor. Her eyes lock onto the caller i.d, seeing that it's Rachel. She ignored the amused look from Jenny as she lunges across the desk to her phone, picking it up and answering with a breathless "What?"

Quinn smacks herself on her forehead at her rudeness. She tries to control her breathing. Jesus she really needs to start working out again, she shouldn't be so out of breath.

"Again! You're doing this again!"

Quinn flinches at angry tone in Rachel's voice. "I'm sorry, okay."

"Don't say sorry to me, say sorry to the children you are letting down once again."

Quinn stands up from the floor and walks over to her desk, picking up the soiled papers with distaste. Jenny sits in the chair opposite and begins to play with the paper weight puzzle Rachel had brought Quinn when she started her first day here.

"I wish I could pick them up today, Rach, but I can't, I've got so much work to do."

When Quinn grimaces at very soggy page, Jenny giggles, rather loudly, causing Quinn's eyes to widen.

"Are you bullshitting me?" Quinn hears the accusation in her voice, it's the same tone that Rachel used _that_ day. It stings that Rachel still thinks she would do such a thing. Quinn watches as Jenny figures out the puzzle and begins to throw it up and down in the air. Quinn tracks the paperweight, worry flooding within her just in case Jenny drops it

"What makes you say that?" She asks, distractedly, her eyes focused on the paper weight. Not being able to handle the worry within her -seriously, it's like watching a stranger stand next to your kid in a store - Quinn places her hand over the receiver and reaches out to Jenny, pausing the secretaries movements.

"Can you stop for a moment, I can't concentrate."

Jenny mouths a 'sorry' to Quinn and places the paper weight back. Quinn watches as she grabs a piece of paper and pen.

"Are you _with_ someone?"

Jenny holds up the paper. Quinn reads the message "Shall I go print out another copy of the book?" and quickly nods. Having had Jenny distract her, Quinn misses the implication Rachel made in her sentence and casually answers:

"Yeah, Jenny, my assistant, why?"

The biting silence on the other end of the phone tells Quinn she shouldn't have answered Rachel's question. Closing her eyes, Quinn counts down from three.

3…

2…

1…

"You know what, Quinn? Next time when you want to fuck your assistant instead of spending time with your children, just say so, okay?"

Like clockwork. Before Quinn can even defend herself against her ex's words, Rachel hangs up, leaving Quinn sitting in her chair like an idiot with a desk that stinks of coffee, a crappy book she has to edit and the feeling that she's just made things worse for herself with Rachel.

She throws her phone onto the table in defeat.

* * *

><p><strong>Present time<strong>

_"I think it's time you went to sleep young lady." Rachel says to her daughter._

_Lucy groans. "But you haven't told the whole story yet."_

_"I've told you how we met up to us getting married. That's the whole story."_

_Rachel picks up her son and turns to Lucy, urging her to get under her covers._

_"Momma told me the story up until Alex was born."_

_"Well then you know it already." Rachel goes to turn around and head into Alex's room, only to have Alex suddenly jerk awake._

_"Wh-what happened?" He asks in a sleepy voice._

_Rachel smiles softly at him, he looks so much like how Quinn does when she wakes up. She runs a hand through his hair and places a kiss on his forehead. "You fell asleep, little guy."_

_"You woke up just in time, Alex!" Lucy says, bouncing on her knees. Rachel narrow her eyes at her daughter, recognising the devious look on her face. "Mommy was just about to tell us why she and Momma are no longer together."_

_"I want to know!" Alex says, wiggling about so much in Rachel's arms that she finally relents and release shim, watching as he jumps onto Lucy's bed and gets under the covers with her._

_"I was not!" Rachel says, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at her daughter. Lucy just grins at her cheekily. "You two won't understand why we did. It's too complicated."_

_"Then uncomplicate it." Lucy says in a matter of fact tone. "It's only fair that we learn why our parents from being so in love like a fairy tell, to still being in love but not being with each other."_

_"We are not having this discussion!"_

_"Fine!" Lucy says. She reaches over and grabs the cell phone Rachel left on her nightstand. "I'll just call Uncle Puck and ask him what happened."_

_"No!" Rachel reaches forward to grab the phone but Lucy passes it to Alex who puts it down his pajama top and proceeds to curl up into a tight ball. Rachel growls, she hates Puck so much right now for teaching Alex that._

_Lucy grins at her mom. "Looks like you're going to have to tell us Mom, or no phone."_

_Rachel glares at her children and sits herself down on the bed. She points to her daughter. "You are too clever." She says, but gives her a soft smile. "I want you two to promise me something."_

_"Okay."_

_"Promise that you will not think of me or your Momma any differently once I tell you. We all make bad choices in our lives, you mother and I just happen to make a few when it comes to each other."_

_"We promise."_

_"Pinkie swear?" Rachel asks, holding out both her pinkies to her children._

_Alex and Lucy quickly wrap their own pinkies around Rachel's, and in unison, the three shake their hands._

_"Pinkie swear."_

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! long time no see! Sorry for the lack of updates recently, i've been majorly busy these last few months with exams - which are finally over yay! So here I am finally with an update with you.**

**I need to explain how these chapters are going to work:**

**only the second to last chapter will involve the full argument between Quinn and Rachel that breaks them up. The chapters leading up to it will gloss over it**

**the way the explaining of how Quinn and Rachel split up is split into three sections. These sections all play a part into why they split up. These are: Finn, Quinn's busy work schedule and Rachel's insecurity.**

**These sections all affect one another and so will appear briefly in each of the following chapters. If you don't like how I've set it up then i suggest that from here on you stop reading**

**This therefore means that these chapters will probably be longer than previous ones.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>3 years ago<strong>_

Rachel looks down at her two children sleeping in their beds. Her hand brushes the small tuft of hair beginning to grow on Alex's head, her index finger slowly moving down his cheek. A grin wakes on his tiny face and Rachel sighs in adoration. Rachel then turns her attention to her five year old daughter bundled up like a burrito in her power ranger duvet. Rachel remembers how she and Quinn argued over getting her the duvet, Rachel stating that she should have a girly duvet. Quinn won the argument by reminding Rachel that it's not okay to dictate your children's gender identity.

"You okay?"

Rachel turns around at the sound of her wife's voice, a smile gracing her face when she spots the blonde leaning on the doorway, her shaggy blonde hair gracing her angel like face.

Rachel nods as Quinn crosses the room and wraps her strong arms around Rachel's body. Rachel welcomes the comfort her wife brings and leans back into the strong body behind her. She smiles and closes her eyes when a kiss is placed on her neck. She feels Quinn lay her chin down onto her shoulder and opens her eyes, glancing to the side at her wife before looking down at her baby girl.

"She's grown up so fast." Rachel says, looking at Lucy's face and noticing how her baby fat is starting to go, turning her from a baby girl to a little girl.

"I know. I wish she could stay this age forever, where she runs into my arms when I return from work, or gives us drawings of our family and gladly welcomes our cuddles."

"Soon, she's going to be going to elementary school, and Alex to Kindergarten. Then, to middle school and high school and before we know it, our babies have graduated from college and out making changes in the world." Rachel says, starting to become teary eyed at the thought of her babies leaving home.

She feels another kiss placed on her neck. "I'm dreading the teenage years."

Rachel chuckles softly and turns in Quinn's arms, her own coming up to wrap around Quinn's neck. "Who do you think will be like a fifteen year old me?"

When the cheeky smirk that Rachel has fallen in love with pulls up on Quinn's face, Rachel rolls her eyes. "Oh definitely Alex. He's only two and already has your personality. He's going to perfect your storm out, be singing show tunes, have high ambitions and be the loudest, most obnoxious child in his high school, but we will love him all the same."

Rachel gasps softly. "How dare you say I was obnoxious! You weren't even around for my high school days." Rachel teasingly.

The same smirk is back on her wifes face and Rachel bites her lip to stop herself from kissing it away. "Oh but I've heard the stories from your Dad's, Kurt and Santana."

Rachel pouts. However, when Quinn leans forward and places a kiss upon her lips, her pout turns into a smile and a blush graces Rachel's cheeks.

"And I love you for those stories, you sounded like quite the entertainer."

Rachel scoffs softly. "Alex may become me, but Lucy is definitley going to become you. And I've heard the stories of your time in High School, so don't go acting like you were the bloody messiah."

Quinn gasps mockingly. "Did Rachel Berry just swear in front of her children?"

Rachel ignores her wife, her arms moving from Quinn's neck so she can rest her hands onto Quinn's chest. "I heard that you were quite the tyrant and ruled your high school with an iron fist, all the while in a cheerleading uniform."

Rachel watches as a solemn expression falls onto Quinn's face. Rachel knows all about Quinn's time in high school, not just from Puck and Brittany, but also from Quinn. Suffice to say, high school was not a great time for Quinn, she openly admits being ashamed of her younger self. Due to her christian upbringing, Quinn couldn't accept herself for being gay and therefore took her self hatred out on others. However, Quinn completely changed when her father found out through gossip and promptly threw Quinn out just days before graduation. Guilt washes over Rachel after having just thrown all of that back into Quinn's face.

"I simply mean that she won't let anyone walk over her and rule that school whilst wearing her own cheerleading uniform." Rachel says, moving her hand to lift Quinn's chin up. She stares into her wifes solemn but beautiful hazel eyes. She leans forward and presses a sweet kiss to Quinn's lips. "You uh, you don't happen to still have that uniform, do you?" Rachel asks when they pull away.

Quinn bites her lip and looks at Rachel with dark eyes. "I might do."

"What are we waiting for?" Rachel asks before jumping up and wrapping her legs around Quinn, their lips meeting for a passionate kiss.

Holding Rachel up with her left arm, Quinn backs the two of them out of their children's room and closes the door.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present day<strong>_

"So, why did you and Momma split up?" Lucy asks from her new position on Rachel's bed.

Deciding that it would be better for Rachel to lie beside both her children, the three of them moved into Rachel's room and buried themselves under the covers. Alex currently lies with his head on Rachel's shoulder, is thumb firmly in his mouth as he listens.

Rachel sighs. "There are three factors that all played a part in your Momma and I's separation."

"What were they?"

"The first one was Finn."

* * *

><p><em><strong>9 months ago<strong>_

Rachel squeals and jumps into Quinn's arms, pressing kisses all over her wife's face. Quinn laughs happily, the phone that was held up to her ear now lying on the floor as she tries to hold her excited wife.

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" Rachel says, jumping down from Quinn and back onto her own feet. "I knew she would love you."

Quinn stares at Rachel with wide happy eyes. "I didn't think she did. All the way through my interview she just glared at me and fought me on everything I said. She grunted at every suggestion I made about the short story she gave me."

"Yes but you've heard the stories about her. Sue Sylvester rarely shows any sort of emotion to her employees and rules with an iron fist, hence why she's owns one of the best publishing companies in the country!"

"And she just hired me."

"Yep, as her editor in chief!"

Rachel watches as a look of shock graces Quinn's face and he wife slowly makes her way over to a chair and sits herself down. Rachel approaches her shocked wife, realising that what has transpired has just hit Quinn.

Quinn's finally got we dream job. It's all a bit daunting for her.

Rachel sits herself down on Quinn's lap and begins to run her hand through her wife's shaggy locks. "Hey" she says, gently titling Quinn's chin with her other hand so the beautiful hazel eyes she loves look at her. "This is amazing, Honey. You've finally got your big break, after all this time. You are an amazing editor and someone has finally recognised that."

Quinn smiles softly and presses a kiss to Rachel's lips.

"This is really happening?" She asks.

Rachel nods, a smile gracing her face. "Yes, it's really happening." Rachel jumps up from Quinn's lap, pulling the blonde up along with her.

"Now, we need to go out and celebrate, have a nice meal, have all our friends there and just drink!"

Quinn chuckles and pulls on Rachel's hand, bringing her excited wife back to her. "What about the kids?"

"We'll hire a sitter, Ginny from next door is a nice enough girl and wouldn't mind, she has suggested it to me before."

"Wouldn't they want to celebrate with us?"

"We can take them out tomorrow, go to the zoo or something."

"I can't tomorrow."

"Why not?"

"Sue wants me to start immediately, meaning tomorrow." Quinn says.

Rachel pauses for a moment and bites her lip. "We can go at the weekend then." She leans on her toes and kisses Quinn on the cheek. "Now, you go get ready, ill book us a table and ring our friends."

Rachel lightly pushes Quinn towards the stairs, lightly slapping her bum as she passes, causing a yelp to sound from Quinn's lips.

...

"What is he doing here?"

Rachel looks up at her wife, her eyebrows furrowing when she recognises the bitter tone in Quinn's voice.

"Who?"

Quinn doesn't answer, but instead walks over to the table, heading straight for Puck. Rachel quickly follows.

"Here she is!" Kurt says from the other end of the table, "the man of the hour!" Kurt pauses and glances to his partner Blaine "or should I say woman?" Blaine just shrugs his shoulders and turns to Rachel and Quinn, offering Quinn a congratulations.

Rachel frowns when Quinn half heartedly thanks him before grabbing Puck and taking him to one side.

"Hey Berry, what's found it's way up your wife's ass?" Santana asks with a smirk.

Rachel rolls her eyes "Must you be so crass?"

"I wouldn't be me if I wasn't."

Quinn and Puck return to the table, Puck looking a little sheepish.

"Hey Rach, I hope you don't mind but I invited my buddy Finn here along. We were planning on going out tonight before you rang and I felt shitty just ditching him."

Rachel finally notices the rather large man sat in the seat beside Puck. She stops herself from widening her eyes too much when she realised exactly how tall this man must be. He gives Rachel a lopsided grin, one Rachel guesses makes most girls swoon. It does not work on Rachel however and after giving him a polite smile, she looks over at Quinn.

"Well that's up to Quinn, it is her celebratory meal after all."

"I guess it's okay." Quinn says half heartedly before pointedly taking a seat the furthest she can from Finn, which so happens to be with only one chair between them.

Rachel rolls her eyes at her wife's immaturity. Even though she has no clue as to why Quinn is behaving this way towards Finn, Rachel will certainly not be as rude.

Rachel takes her seat between Finn and Quinn, her hand immediately moving to rest on Quinn's thigh. She notices Finn watching her and quickly looks over, giving him a polite smile once again before turning her attention to the group.

"I think it's time we order some champagne." Rachel says with a smile.

"That depends." Santana says, her eyes narrowing as a smirk pulls on her mouth. Brittany, sat next to Santana, rolls her eyes and nudges her wife playfully.

Quinn chuckles, "Yes Santana, we will be paying."

Santana grins and leans back in her chair, "In that case," she looks over her shoulder and spots a waiter standing close by. "Hey you, guppy, get over here." She says with a snap of her fingers

The waiter's eyes widen and he quickly scurried over, trying to stay professional when he approaches the table.

Whilst Santana begins to milk Rachel and Quinn of their money, Rachel feels a light tap on her shoulder.

Turning her head, Rachel comes face to face with a very smiley Finn.

"Hey, I'm Finn Hudson." He says, holding his hand out to Rachel.

Rachel smiles and takes his huge hand "Rachel."

"Oh I know who you are." Finn says, his eyes widen every so slightly "not in like a stalker way, but Puck mentions your kids and you a bit when he talks about Quinn."

"Have you and Quinn met before?"

"Yes." Quinn answers tightly.

Rachel turns to look at her wife and notices that her wife's jaw is clenched very tightly.

"Yeah, Quinn used to hang out with me and puck occasionally when we were in college." Finn says, not even looking towards Quinn.

Rachel hears Quinn scoff and mutter to herself, "More like he hung out with me and Puck."

Ignoring her wife and her childish behaviour, Rachel gives Finn a smile. "I'm sure you have wonderful stories to tell me about Quinn back in college." Rachel pauses for a moment and then laughs, "Actually, I think Puck told them all to me already."

She looks away from Finn to her wife and places a hand on her thigh. Quinn turns her head to look at Rachel and gives her a smile, covering Rachel's hand with her own.

The sound of Finn clearing his throat causes Quinn to roll her eyes in exasperation and Rachel to very reluctantly turn her attention to him.

Finn gives Rachel the crooked smile once again and scoots his chair closer to her. "When Puck told me that Quinn had married someone, I didn't believe him. Did Quinn Fabray, the big lesbian heartbreaker at NYU really find a girl to settle down with? The girl who slept with a new girl every night and-"

"Oh look!" Santana shouts, interrupting Finn, "The champagne is here!" Rachel shoots Santana a thankful look.

Santana winks at her and rather rudely grabs the bottle off the waiter. Lifting her hand up, Santana waves it, muttering: "You can go now."

Rachel and Quinn both chuckle and say "Santana." in a chastising matter as they watch the young waiter scurry off.

Santana looks at them with innocent eyes. "What did I do?"

"Well for starters I think you have scared that young man half to death and secondly, you are definitely not going to be in charge of the champagne." Rachel says, standing up and holding her hand out to Santana.

Santana looks at Rachel's hand as if it's a foreign object. "Well why not?"

"Because you'll end up drinking ¾ of the bottle to yourself and also it is not your celebratory dinner it is Quinn's so hand it over."

A staring contest then commences between the two brunettes. Rachel giving Santana the same stern look she gives Alex when he refuses to change out of his Princess Jasmine outfit and into his pajamas, and Santana giving Rachel the same disobedient and cheeky look she had all through high school and college.

However with the clearing of Brittany's throat and a pointed look aimed at the defiant brunette, Santana begrudgingly hands over the bottle of champagne to Rachel who smiles triumphantly.

"Wck-tsh" Comes from a snickering Puck who also mimics a whipping motion along with the sound.

"Bite me Puckerman." Santana says, also flipping him the bird in the process.

This only causes to make Puck laugh harder and he nudges Finn to laugh along with him. This is when Rachel notices that Finn is still staring at her and it's making her rather uncomfortable.

Ignoring the staring, Rachel begins to pour out a glass of champagne for everyone, handing it down the line until everyone has a glass.

Kurt goes to take a sip, only to be stopped from a high pitched sound coming from Rachel.

"Not yet!" she says, although she doesn't miss the sip Santana takes from her glass. honestly, that woman is just like her children sometimes. Rachel stands up and clears her throat.

"I would like to make a toast." She says before leaving a pause in her speech. "To my wonderful wife, Quinn, who has managed to land herself her dream of job of becoming the chief editor for the largest book producing company in the state of New York. Quinn, you really deserve this job, you have worked so hard for it. It is now my place to step down from my pedestal of top breadwinner of the family and allow you to take over, for you have allowed me to have my dream-"

"Get on with it!" Santana says, taking another sip-more of a gulp-from her glass.

Rachel continues on like Santana hadn't interrupted and looks down at her beautiful wife. Rachel doesn't miss the slight blush dusting Quinn's cheeks and finds herself smiling uncontrollably at the fact she still has the ability to make Quinn blush. "And so, it is now your turn to have your dream. To Quinn, and congratulations." She says, raising her glass.

"Congrats babe!" Puck says, following Rachel's lead.

Santana follows. "Yeah yeah congrats and all that shit to you Q"

"Well done Quinn." Kurt says, placing a hand onto Quinn's.

Rachel beams at her wife and leans down to give Quinn a kiss, who happily accepts the kiss. When Quinn goes to pull away, Rachel gently grabs her cheek and pulls her back in, lightly running her tongue over Quinn's lips before finally pulling away.

She faintly hears Santana's "Get a room!" comment before winking at her wife and softly whispering "I'll give you my own congratulations later." and sitting down.

Rachel smirks when Quinn shifts in her seat, her cheeks and the back of her neck becoming red. When Quinn looks back at Rachel, her eyes a much darker than before, and only darken more when Rachel makes a show of taking a sip from her glass and sensually running her tongue over her lips before looking away and turning to have a conversation with Brittany.

"So, uh, how did you and Quinn meet?"

Rachel glances to her right at Finn, pausing mid sentence with Brittany. She looks back over at the taller blonde and upon seeing that Brittany had already turned her attention elsewhere, she sighs softly and turns to talk to Finn.

"I was on holiday with Santana and Kurt. Kurt had managed to get a spot as a designer on one of the fashion shows. I met Quinn on our first night there."

Finn nods "I remember Puck invited me to go with him, Quinn and Britt."

Puck joins the conversation upon hearing his name. "Yeah, but this douche right here had work and so couldn't."

"It was such a shame." Quinn says, not sounding the least bit put out, "We all wanted him there."

Rachel figures that with the way Finn is grinning and nodding, he's too obtuse to notice when Quinn is being sarcastic. However, Rachel is not and pokes Quinn's thigh, shushing her.

"Yeah. So uh, where did you meet?"

"In one of the nightclubs that was directly between our hotels." Rachel says. She grabs hold of Quinn's hand and squeezes it. "Our eyes met across the dance floor, Quinn approached me and the rest is, as they say, was history."

Puck chuckles. "Always the dramatic, Rach."

Rachel huffs, "I live and breathe theater, of course I'm going to make it dramatic!"

"And I love you for it." Puck says, throwing Rachel a wink.

"Hey," Quinn says, "Don't make me spray water on you again!"

"Relax Q-Ball." Puck raises his hands in a surrender, "It was only a friendly wink."

Quinn hums and narrows her eyes at Puck. With a kiss on the cheek from Rachel, however, a smile graces her face.

"Love you." Quinn says, causing Rachel to beam.

"And I, you."

"That's typical Quinn though." Finn says, once again bringing the attention back to him.

This time, Rachel doesn't bother to try and be polite and outrightly shows her irritation with Finn's constant talking.

He grins when Rachel looks at him. "As soon as she lays eyes on you, that's it. You were going to end up in her bed for the evening. Happened with every girl in her English class at college. Oh man, you should have seen the cat fights they got into over her."

"It wasn't just one evening with Rachel." Quinn says, the anger clear in her voice. "It was every evening for the whole trip and every day after that."

"I still don't believe that, you, Quinn Fabray settled down."

"Dude, how much more evidence do you need to see? You're sat next to her wife, her wife who has a huge ass rock on her finger."

Rachel looks down at the engagement ring Quinn brought her and smiles at the memory.

"I wouldn't say it was huge." Finn mutters. Rachel raises an eyebrow, mirroring the same look from her wife.

"I swear you two need to spend less time together, it's scary how much you look like a couple." a rather tipsy Santana says, breaking up the soon to become heated conversation.

Brittany stands up. "And with that silly comment, it's time for us to go." She says, pulling up her wife.

"Congrats Quinn," She says, hugging Quinn when she manages to drag Santana away from her seat. "Bye Rachel, thank you for the champagne." Brittany pauses and quickly shoves money into Rachel's hand. "Here, for some of the expenses."

"Oh Brittany you don't need to."

"No honestly I do. Santana may have brought a few more drinks than just the champagne." Brittany grins. "Anyway, see you!"

"Bye Q *hiccup* and Berry! *hiccup* thanks for the cheap ass alcohol." Santana calls out before being taken away by her wife.

A few minutes after Santana and Brittany, Puck, Kurt and Blaine all also get up to leave, saying congratulations to Quinn and despite the couples protest, giving some money towards their meals and drinks.

"Dude, you coming?" Puck says to Finn who's still sat at the table.

"Nah man, I'll stay for a bit."

Quinn stands, pulling Rachel up with her. "We're going now too, but feel free to stay Finn, everything's already been paid for." Quinn says.

"Oh, uh yeah, okay. I'll guess I'll see you." Finn also stands up. "Uh, congrats, I guess." He says, awkwardly rubbing his head.

"I'll meet you at the car." Rachel says to Quinn. "I need to pay for the champagne and apologise to the poor waiter that Santana tormented."

Quinn glances at Finn before nodding and pressing a kiss to Rachel's lips. "See you in five." she says before walking away.

Rachel sighs and grabs her purse before walking up to the maitre d' and handing him the money for the rest of the bill.

She rummages through her purse for a few extra dollars and also hands that to the maitre d'.

"You've already paid, ma'am." He says.

"I know, this is for the waiter my friend terrorised whilst we were here. Can you apologise to him for me?"

"Of course ma'am. Thank you."

Rachel gives the man a smile before walking away.

* * *

><p><em><strong>1 week later<strong>_

Rachel's happily dancing around her house in only a t-shirt and her underwear, enjoying the time alone with the kids off at school and Quinn at work when she gets a knock on her door. Pausing the soundtrack to Funny Girl and grabbing the nearest pair of pants she could find - Quinn's sweatpants - Rachel begrudgingly pulls them on and makes her way to the door.

When she opens the door, she's surprised at who she sees on the otherside.

"Finn. Are you looking for Quinn? i'm afraid she's at work and won't be home until nine."

Finn stands on the other side, with unkempt hair and wearing a messy green t-shirt with a hoodie and jeans. His hands are stuffed into his jean pockets and he has a look on his face that looks very similar to the face Alex used to pull when pooping in his diaper.

"Uh, no, I wanted to see you, actually."

Rachel raises an eyebrow. "Oh."

"I hope you don't mind me turning up like this. Puck told me where you lived."

Rachel leans against the door frame and stays silent, waiting for Finn to tell her why he's here.

"I uh just wanted to apologise to you for the other night. I behaved inappropriately. I was wrong to bring up what Quinn was like in college."

"Yes, you were."

Finn blanches, obviously not expecting Rachel to be so cold. "I see you make her happy. She never seemed happy in college, no matter who she was with that evening, in the morning, she also looked like she regretted it. The cat fights, Quinn could never bring herself to watch it or even look at it."

Rachel stays silent, not really knowing how to reply to that.

"I'm sorry. It's just...I'm jealous. I was jealous of Quinn, of her landing her dream job, of her being able to break away from her old self and to change into a better person. I haven't been able to do that. Not yet, anyway."

Rachel finds her resolve lessening and she relaxes her shoulders. "You're not a bad person, Finn."

Finn shrugs. "I can't take your word for it, you've only known me for a short while."

Rachel sighs and looks at the clock. She grabs her coat when she sees it's almost time to pick the kids up from school.

"Where are you going?" Finn asks, stepping back as Rachel walks out of the house, tugging her shoe onto her foot.

"To pick the kids up."

"I'll be on out of your way then." He says, starting to turn around.

"Finn, don't go." Rachel says running to meet up with him. "I understand your jealousy, everyone gets jealous at some point in their life. As for the whole 'you're not a bad guy' thing, how about we take a walk to the school together and we can talk, yeah? Get to know each other, as friends?"

Finn gives Rachel a half smile, a smile that would have made her fifteen year old self swoon. "You're sure?"

"Of school's not far." Rachel says, starting to walk down the street.

"My house is this way anyway." He says, walking to catch up with her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Two months later<strong>_

Ever since the day Finn came to apologise, it became a routine for Finn to come round on the weekdays and walk with Rachel to the school, before leaving at his road. During the walk, Rachel grew to know and like Finn.

For instance, Finn used to work at his step-dad's tire shop during high school. He was in his school's glee club as well as football team. He moved to study music at college, where he met Puck and was therefore introduced to Quinn. He lost his step-dad during his second year of college and struggled through the rest of the semester before making sort of a comeback after the summer.

After finishing college, Finn applied for teacher training and was able to get himself a teaching job in a nearby middle school. However, Finn really wants to go into High Schools to teach, but has found it difficult to find a place.

When Quinn found out not long after their second walk together that Rachel and Finn were becoming closer, she, for obvious reasons, wasn't too pleased. However, rachel managed to convince her that it's all okay.

"I don't like it." Quinn mumbles as she gets undressed and then dressed into her pajamas before joining Rachel in their bed.

Rachel immediately snuggles up to her wife, enjoying a rare evening of having Quinn home before ten o'clock. Quinn wraps her arms around Rachel and tugs her closer.

"It's completely innocent, Quinn."

Quinn scoffs. "I doubt that."

"On my half of it it is. I promise you Quinn, we're only friends. All Finn wants is a friend and i'm happy to be that for him."

"He has Puck."

"Exactly. All he has is Puck. You don't like him and I know Brittany isn't too fond of him."

"He called her stupid once."

"We all say things we don't mean."

"He also publicly outed a girl when she wasn't ready because she didn't agree to what he was asking of her." Quinn says with more spite than usual.

Rachel frowns. "Now that I definitely don't agree with. He had no right to do so. I thinks he's changed though Quinn. Ever since that night he hasn't tried anything with me."

Quinn sniffs and turns her body so she's facing Rachel. She reaches her hand down and begins to run her fingers in between Rachel's.

"He's trying to woo you." Quinn mumbled, her eyes following the movement of her fingers.

"Do you trust me?"

"What sort of question is that?"

"Answer it."

"Of course I do."

"Then trust me with this. Please."

Quinn sighs and nods her head. "Okay. Now can we go to sleep please? I've been looking forward to this all day."

As the months passed, Rachel began to notice the little amount of time Quinn spent at home. So, as Finn and Rachel grew closer, Rachel confined in Finn during one of their daily walks to the school.

"Quinn's been coming home late recently." Rachel says as they trudge through the snowy streets.

"She's working a hard job." Finn says with a shrug, scuffing his shoes against the pavement.

"I understand that. Sue Sylvester is known to not give out light loads of work. It's just, Quinn will return home at eleven in the evening and leave at six in the morning. She hardly sees the kids any more."

"What about at the weekend?"

"She's nearly always in her office, going through the work Sue has given her. She refuses to let me in to the office, claiming that I stop her from concentrating."

"Well, she does have an attractive wife, I can see why she said you'd stop her from concentrating."

Rachel playfully shoves Finn at his comment. "I'm being serious Finn."

"So was I."

Rachel ignores him. "Did you know that we haven't had sex in a month?"

Finn blushes and coughs awkwardly, looking anywhere but at Rachel. "No, i wasn't privy to this information."

"'Privy?' Have you been doing your research, Finn Hudson?"

Finn shrugs. "I kinda need to keep up with you and your use of big words so I bought myself a thesaurus."

"That's sweet." Rachel stays silent for a moment. "I haven't not tried to seduce her. I mean, I've greeted her at the front door in my sexy lets-have-sex underwear, but she merely smiled at me and told me she was too tired and then thanked me. She thanked me, Finn."

Finn again refuses to look at Rachel. "I read that when you get so tired you like become really disinterested in your...usual activities."

"Yes but this is sex Finn! I mean, if I greeted you at the door in lingerie after work and you were really tired, would you say no?"

Finn scratches his head. "I don't think that's an appropriate question to ask me-"

"Oh don't be silly Finn, we're friends."

"Well, no, I guess I wouldn't."

"See!" Rachel stops walking when they arrive at the road Finn usually departs to. "I'm worried that there's something wrong. Maybe Sue's working her too hard?"

Rachel watches as something flashes through Finn's eyes.

"What?"

Finn hesitates. "What if it's something else?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, what if it's not a something but a-"

Anger boils within Rachel. "I'm going to stop you right there Finn Hudson. Don't you dare go and accuse my wife of cheating on me. You have no right to do such a thing. Quinn loves me and I love Quinn. Quinn is working her ass off to give me and our kids the best quality of life she can seeing as I am a full time stay at home mom now."

"Rachel-"

"No Finn. I am angry at you right now and I am going to angrily walk away from you and you are not to follow me."

And so, with a sharp turn on her heel, Rachel storms off down the road.

* * *

><p><em><strong>2 weeks later<strong>_

It's the smell of perfume that makes her re-think Finn's unthinkable suggestion. The smell of perfume on Quinn that is not Quinn's perfume.

She smells it as Quinn walks into the bedroom. Rachel pretends to be asleep as Quinn changes and slips into the bed, the smell of the perfume that is not Quinn's surrounding Rachel in a suffocating cocoon. It only worsens when Quinn wraps an arm around Rachel's stomach and spoons Rachel's back.

What makes even more suffocating is the gentle kiss Quinn places against Rachel's neck and the soft 'I love you' she whispers before falling asleep.

Not being able to stay in such a tight confinement with the smell of this acid like perfume surrounding her, Rachel wiggles out of Quinn's hold and leaves the bedroom.

Walking into the kitchen, Rachel picks up her phone and dials a number she hasn't dialed in two weeks.

"Hello?" A very sleepy Finn answers the phone.

"Hey, it's me." Rachel says.

"Rachel, it's...2:00am."

"I know, I'm sorry for waking you up but I need to talk to you."

She listens as Finn shuffles about, presumably moving to get more comfortable. "Shoot."

"Can you tell me why you think Quinn has had a sudden lack of interest in sex with me and why she's been so tired and getting home late and just distant in general."

"What? No."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll get mad at me again and it'll just make you upset."

A lump forms in Rachel's throat. "Please Finn. I need to hear it. I need to know what you think."

"Wouldn't it be better if you spoke to Puck about this? He knows Quinn better than me."

"No. Puck will defend Quinn because she's his best friend. Whereas you...you're like switzerland. You are neutral."

"I'm not really all that neut-"

"Just tell me!" A tear falls down her cheek and she begins to shake.

There's silence for a few seconds until Rachel hears a very soft sigh come from Finn and then - "I think she's cheating on you."

"Why?"

"Going by her track record with girls, she's never been very good at...keeping her impulses in check. I guess the stress of work broke the resistance she put up upon marrying you and she gave in."

A sob escapes Rachel and she quickly clasps a hand to her mouth to stop herself from sobbing loud enough to wake her family up. "Oh god."

"Rach?"

"I smelt perfume on her when she got home today." Rachel says through her sobs.

"Okay? That's normal for girls to smell like perfume."

"No, it wasn't her perfume, Finn."

"Maybe she brought a new one?'

Rachel shakes her head, not caring that Finn can't actually see her shake her head. "There are no new bottles on our dresser." She says, releasing a sob.

"Oh." There's a pause. "What are you going to do?"

"Mommy?"

Rachel turns around to find a very sleepy Alex standing behind her, his favourite cuddly toy - a dinosaur names Rex- hanging by his side. He rubs at his eye, a tiny yawn escaping him.

"Alex."

"Why are you crying?"

* * *

><p><em>"That's what you were crying about? Because you thought Momma was having ice cream with someone else?" Alex asks.<em>

_"Yes baby. I was very irrational."_

_"You told me it was because you had something in your eye."_

_"I did."_

_"You lied to me."_

_"Only so you wouldn't worry, honey."_

_Lucy hushes Alex. "That's not important, what is important is what you did next."_

_"But was Momma having ice cream with someone else?"_

_"We'll find out, now shush."_

* * *

><p><em><strong>A few weeks later - Late evening<strong>_

What Rachel did next was very simple. She waited. She waited to see if more evidence would appear that Quinn was in fact cheating.

None did, but Finn's words kept playing over in Rachel's head, and so her paranoia got worked up, until one night, when she invited Finn round for dinner because she Quinn expected to be home earlier than usual (as Quinn had said she would) and cooked too much for herself and the kids.

That's when it all kicked off.

When Quinn walked through the door at eleven o'clock and spied Rachel and Finn sat on the settee together. When seeing Quinn walk in and stare at Rachel with such hurt that it caused Rachel to explode.

That's when Quinn packed her things and left.

"Oh honey."

Rachel feels Kurt wrap his arms around her and pull her against his chest. He held her as she sobbed. He listened as she replayed every scene over to him, starting right from the dinner.

He walked out the front door after pointing out to Rachel where she was wrong in this situation, causing her to kick him out.

This is when Finn swooped in and told Rachel everything she would want to hear in her fragile state. He told her everything he knew would get Rachel to see him in a different light.

He did everything he could to manipulate her into liking him as more than a friend. Including manipulating her into agreeing to divorce Quinn.

The love of her life.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present day - Quinn's office, 3 hours after the coffee incident.<strong>_

Quinn sighs and runs a hand over her eyes as she stares at the godawful book in front of her. Her pen taps against the table as she reads the words over and over again, scoffing at how ridiculous the character of Bella Swan is and how she is the role model she wants her daughter or son to look up to.

"Why does she want to publish such crap?" Quinn wonders to herself, truly worrying about Sue's sanity.

This book will either make or break the company. Quinn doesn't want to take the risk. But not taking the risk means losing her job and losing her job means not being able to care for her children.

Quinn looks to the picture frame sat on the desk and smiles. It's from the summer she, Rachel, Lucy and Alex took to Disney land. They tried and failed many times to get the perfect family selfie, but Alex kept moving his head at the wrong moment, causing his face to become blurry. Lucy was squinting and so looked in pain in every photo they took. Rachel was standing on her tiptoes, trying to avoid the glaring sun staring into her eyes, causing Quinn to have unsteady balance. Quinn, not only being the one to have to take the photo, was balancing a Rachel leaning into her side and an Alex on her shoulders. (He had demanded to be on her shoulders for nearly everywhere they walked, claiming it was too hot for him.)

There was also arguments over where the photo should be taken. Alex wanted it in front of Space Mountain, Lucy wanted it near Mickey Mouse or with Mickey Mouse in it. Rachel wanted it wherever they could get her best side and Quinn quite frankly was too busy trying to balance Alex and her camera and phone to think about where it should be taken.

Eventually, the family decided it would be best to get other tourists to take the photo for them, with the other tourist family suggesting they take it in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle.

After much goading from Rachel, Quinn reluctantly gave her very expensive camera to the other family and happily posed with hers before grabbing the camera off the man as quickly as possible.

The end result had Alex sitting on top of Quinn's shoulders, Rachel stood beside Quinn, her body angled into face Quinn and Lucy standing in front Quinn and Rachel. All four of them had their own pair of mickey mouse ears on and were all laughing. As the photo was being taken, behind the man taking it was Mickey Mouse, who was making funny gestures behind him.

Quinn smiles at the memory and turns her attention to the photo on the other side of her desk. It was taken moments after the first one. What the other tourist family failed to mention was that they were standing directly in the splash zone of Splash Mountain and so the second photo consisted of a giant wave of water being in frame whilst all four of them are shrieking and laughing as they jump away from the water.

It makes for a very funny photo.

"Quinn, you have a visitor."

The sound of Jenny's voice rings through the intercom and brings Quinn out of her memory.

"Who is it?"

"Finn Hudson."

Quinn pauses. "Don't let him in. Tell him I'm busy."

"I've already done so, he's insisting that you see him."

"Send him away, Jenny, I don't want to see that bastard."

"Sir you can't just go-"

Finn storms through the doors of Quinn office and glares right at her, his face as red as a tomato.

Quinn just sighs and leans back in her chair, arranging the papers on her desk to entice a feeling of boredom. "What do you want?" She asks.

"I want you to finally get the fuck out of Rachel's life and sign the goddamn divorce papers." He growls, storming up to her desk.

Quinn simply raises an eyebrow. "Oh you do, do you? I'm afraid that choice isn't up to you and is rather impossible considering we share children."

Finn scoffs. "Only Alex is your kid. Besides, I'm going to become their new Dad soon anyway, so there will be no need for you."

Quinn slowly lifts her head up to look at the giant man child. She slowly stands up and leans forward, her hands coming to rest on the desk. She eyes Finn slowly. Now being in such close proximity of Finn, Quinn smells the alcohol on his breath.

Whiskey.

The very same poison her father would drink when angry.

"Oh you are you? And who the fuck agreed to that? I certainly didn't."

"Rachel did. She said she would rather have me as their father than you as their mother." He smirks at her. "I don't understand why you haven't signed them yet. I figured that as soon as she kicked you out you would have been the first to sign the papers and jump into bed with the next slut you saw."

Quinn glares at Finn. Her voice is dangerously low when she speaks. "Get the fuck out of my office."

"just admit it Quinn. Rachel no longer wants you in her life anymore. With the way you treated her, I can understand why. You saw you've changed, but you didn't change one bit, you're still the same slut from college, only this time, you're a cheating slut."

"You know as well as I do Finn that I did not cheat."

Finn's smirk becomes more sinister. "I know. But Rachel doesn't know that. She thinks you did. Which gave me the perfect opportunity to swoop in and be her knight in shining armour. Now sign the fucking papers and fuck off."

Quinn tilts her head before her own smirk graces her face. "Did she kick you out this evening? Did she realise how much a fucking dick head you are and so kicked you out?"

When Finn becomes red in the face, Quinn knows she's hit the nail on the head.

"How about this:" Quinn growls, moving back to sit in her chair. "You take your sad, pathetic little butt hurt self out of my office, out this building, out of my life, out of my children's lives and out of Rachel's life because it's clear to me that none of them want you."

Finn glares at Quinn and with a roar and a kick to one of her chairs (which only caused to hurt him due to the chair being bolted to the floor) he storms (angrily limps) out of her office.

When the door shuts behind him, Quinn releases a breath she hadn't realised she was holding and stares up at the ceiling.

_God, give me strength._

* * *

><p><strong>There's that chapter for you guys!<strong>

**It's 3:00 am over here in England and i am very tired so I'm just going to keep this short.**

**Thank you for reading!**

**x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, thanks for being so patient with me on this, I've been really busy sorting out stuff for university and such. Anyway, I decided to kind of merge the next two factors for the faberry together run one chapter as they kind of intermingle anyway so it made sense to write it like this.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"So you and Momma broke up all because of Finn?" Lucy asks, looking very disappointed in her mother. "You always tell me to never let a boy get between my relationships."<p>

Rachel sighs softly. "It wasn't just Finn, sweetheart."

* * *

><p>Rachel smiles when she hears the front door open and close. Her concentration strays away from the book on her lap as she listens out for the soft footsteps of her wife coming up the stairs.<p>

When the bedroom door opens, Rachel's smile grows when she sees her wife standing in the doorway, her reading glasses sat on the top of her head, her dress shirt ruffled, with half of it hanging out, half tucked in and her blazer thrown over one shoulder.

Quinn gives Rachel a tired smile and walks into the room, sitting herself down on the end of the bed. Rachel closes her book and places it down on their bedside table before crawling up the duvet to her wife.

Once close enough, Rachel wraps her arms around Quinn's shoulders and places a gentle kiss against her smooth cheek.

"Good evening." Quinn says, glancing over her shoulder to Rachel with a smile. Quinn's hands hold onto Rachel's.

Rachel chuckles against Quinn's ear and kisses her lobe. She looks over at the clock on their nightstand. 12:30.

"More like good morning."

She watches as Quinn looks down at her watch before groaning. "I'm so sorry for keeping you up, baby." Quinn says.

Rachel hugs Quinn tighter. "Don't be, I wanted to wait up for you."

Quinn stands up and turns around to face Rachel. Rachel stretches herself up on her knees and smiles when Quinn wraps her arms around Rachel's waist. The blonde pulls Rachel against her and hugs her tightly before pulling away.

As she pulls away, Rachel leans up and kisses her wife on the lips. One kiss turns into two which soon turns into a full on, hormonal teenage make out session. However, when Rachel goes to undo Quinn's shirt buttons, the blonde pulls away and stills Rachel's hands.

"As much as I would love to make love to you tonight honey," Quinn says, moving one of her hands to cup Rachel's cheek. "I'm really tired and just want to fall asleep with you."

Rachel nods in understanding, though a little put out that she won't be able to make Quinn moan tonight. Quinn smiles at her and places a chaste kiss on her lips before going into their bathroom.

When Quinn finally reappears, her face is devoid of makeup and her work clothes are replaced with a pair of pyjama shorts and a tank top. Rachel has already situated herself back into bed, her book still sat on their bedside table.

Quinn clambers into the bed and goes to turn the light off.

"Uh, Quinn." Rachel says softly.

"Yeah?"

"Your glasses." Rachel indicates to the top of Quinn's head.

"What?" Quinn's hand reaches up to the top of her head and her eyes widen when she feels her glasses. She sheepishly removes them and places them down, giving Rachel a smile.

With a kiss goodnight, the couple bury themselves down into their covers and fall to sleep, with Quinn spooning Rachel.

* * *

><p>As the following weeks passed, Rachel grew accustomed to Quinn arriving home late, and each night, she would wait up for her like a doting wife should. But after her talk with Finn, despite how angry she is with him for even mentioning it, Rachel can't help but think that there must be another reason for Quinn's coming home late other than just the work Sue piles on.<p>

What makes matters worse is that even at the weekend, when Quinn isn't working, Quinn is still too tired to make love to Rachel. She wasn't even up for a quickie on the desk in their study. This, quite obviously drew up a few red flags to Rachel.

But the more she began to think upon what Finn had said, the more guilty Rachel felt. She feels like she's betraying her wife for even entertaining the idea that Quinn would cheat.

And yet, when Rachel looks in the mirror, she can't help - like most women - but spot all the abnormalities there is on her body - or perceived abnormalities. And because of that, Rachel is blinded to the aspect of her body that her wife finds the most beautiful about her. What Quinn sees as a enticing facial feature, Rachel sees it as an abnormally large nose too big for her face.

Quinn sees beautiful brown eyes, Rachel sees eyes that are too close together. Quinn finds Rachel's legs to be shapely and sexy, Rachel finds them to be too skinny and short. Quinn finds the nose crinkle and little snort Rachel does when she laughs to be adorable, Rachel finds it to be obnoxious. Quinn believes her wife has the most beautiful body she has ever seen, Rachel believes herself to be a walking potato.

Then when Rachel was introduced to Quinn's secretary - Jamie or Jinny or something like that - it only encouraged Rachel to doubt her own beauty.

Quinn's secretary was a beautiful woman, 23 or 22 years of age, whilst Rachel is closer to Thirty than to Twenty. She had the next brightest eyes after Quinn, and a killer smile. All white teeth and perfectly straight. Rachel swears she can see her reflection in the girl's teeth sometimes.

And then the legs on her. They were long and shapely and made Rachel very envious. There didn't seem to be a single wrinkle or frown line on the girl's face, whereas Rachel can begin to see her own forming. Rachel knew her stomach would be completely flat, devoid of any stretch marks that come with pregnancy. Rachel's is not.

When Rachel brought up her observations with Quinn, it did not go down too well.

* * *

><p>"I don't understand why you're making such a fuss about this!" Quinn says in exasperation. She's only just gotten home from work and already Rachel is on her case. All she wants to do is lie down in bed with her wife and fall asleep. But Rachel had other plans.<p>

"Because she is a beautiful young lady that you spend the majority of the day with!" Rachel says, angrily pulling on her dress robe. She refuses to let Quinn sleep until they talk about this.

"You're overreacting." Quinn shakes her head and stands up.

The couple stand either side of the bed, staring at each other like they're in some kind of stand off.

"I'm overreacting?!" Rachel says indigently. " You're underrating!"

A confused expression pulls on Quinn's tired face. "What? About what? There is nothing here to react or even discuss about!"

"Yes there is, Quinn! There is when my wife is spending the majority of her week with a much younger woman who is quite obviously attractive and could pass off as a supermodel!"

Quinn groans. "Why does it matter if she's beautiful?"

"So you admit she's beautiful." Anger boils within Rachel.

"Oh my god." Quinn mumbles. "Yes, Rach, she is beautiful. Stunning in fact."

Tears prick at Rachel's eyes at her wife's words. She bites her lip and looks down at her feet in sadness.

"But do you know what? That doesn't mean anything to me. Yes, she's beautiful. And okay, she's attractive enough to be a supermodel."

Rachel looks up and is surprised to find that whilst she had been staring at her feet begging herself not to cry, Quinn had made her way over to her. Quinn gently cups Rachel's chin and lifts her head up so she can look into her eyes.

"But she's not as beautiful as my _wife_. Or my children. Whom I love with all my heart. She's not my musical loving, strong-willed, ambitious, gorgeous wife. She's not the woman I look forward to seeing during my day. She's not the woman who falls asleep in my arms and who I wake up to."

Rachel sniffs at Quinn's words, a tiny smile pulling at her lips.

"She's not the woman I said "I do" to." Quinn's hand moves to cup Rachel's cheek. "You are. You are who I get to call my wife. The one who brings a smile to my face when I simply think about what you're doing right now. Are you singing? Are you dancing? Are you baking or are you doing all three?"

"I love you. Not Jenny. You. Rachel Berry."

Rachel smiles at Quinn's words before tilting her head up and connecting their lips.

* * *

><p>Thus began the evenings of arguments that followed. Quinn would come home and Rachel would have a new subject to argue about. They varied drastically. Whether Quinn remembered to pick up the newspaper in the morning, if she left her bowl of cereal on the kitchen counter instead of placing it in the sink, or if she forgot to schedule a playdate for Alex, or carpool for Lucy or even a special evening meal with Rachel. All of them were reasons Rachel found to argue with Quinn about.<p>

It was all down to Rachel's growing insecurity and doubt towards Quinn's faithfulness. Yes Quinn said all that wonderful stuff to her, but that's just words. They don't support her actions.

What made it worse was when, one night, Quinn returned home later than normal.

* * *

><p>Rachel's fingers tap against the arm of the side rhythmically. She glances down at her phone for what seems like the thousandth time that night.<p>

She growls in aggravation when she sees the time: 2:30

Quinn still isn't home and Rachel is worrying. And angry. Very angry.

She has sent Quinn a bunch of text messages and voicemails, all of which were left unanswered.

She huffs and puts her phone down with more force than needed. Where in gods name is her wife?!

Her fingers continue to tap against the arm of the sofa.

The only object lighting up the room is the moon shining through the window. Rachel decided to not turn on all the lights for when Quinn arrives. You know, for dramatic effects.

Rachel takes a deep breath when she hears Quinn jingle her keys in the lock and the soft sounds of Quinn's swearing. From what Rachel can tell from the lack of key in lock and occasional hit against the door from where Quinn must be stumbling, that her wife is drunk.

Finally, after a few more minutes of Quinn swearing and a final "Yes!" The door unlocks and swings open, revealing the silhouette of Quinn. Rachel watches as Quinn stumbles through the door and begins to take her shoes off.

She rolls her eyes when Quinn loses her balance and bangs into a table, causing a vase to topple slightly and for Quinn to quickly tell the table to shush.

After letting Quinn believe it was just herself and the furniture awake in the house Rachel decided it was time to let herself be known.

Reaching out a hand, she switches on the lamp beside her, her eyes locking onto the now alert blonde who's staring at her with wide eyes.

"You're late." Rachel says, her voice distant.

Quinn blinks once and scratches the back of her head. "I uh-" she lets out an awkward chuckle "Bit dramatic don't ya think?" She says, gesturing to the lamp.

Rachel raises an unamused eyebrow to her wife. She doesn't answer Quinn and instead very calmly clears her throat.

The blonde shuffles awkwardly and looks to the stairs. "You coming to bed?"

Rachel once again doesn't answer Quinn's question. "I tried calling you."

"Did you?"

"Yes. 15 times to be exact."

"Oh."

Rachel slowly stands up. "I also sent you a few texts...10 of them."

A light scoff escapes Quinn and a lazy smile crosses her face. If Rachel wasn't so mad, she would have found it cute. But right now...oh right now she finds it so incredibly irritating.

"Seem like a over obsessive girlfriend with that, Rach." Quinn says.

Rachel's eyes narrow dangerously. "I was worried, Quinn. I am your wife, not an overly obsessive girlfriend. I was worried because you weren't answering my calls and it had gone past midnight."

"You're not my keeper, you don't need to know where I am all the time."

Rachel blows up at that.

"I AM YOUR WIFE, QUINN. I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHY MY WIFE ISNT HOME WHEN SHE NORMALLY IS. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORRY FOR YOU, FOR OUR CHILDREN."

"Why does it matter where I was? I'm here now aren't I?" Quinn shouts, becoming just as angry as Rachel.

"It matters because I didn't know where you were! You could have been lying in a gutter Somewhere and wouldn't have known! You could have been with-" Rachel blanches, and realising what she's about to say, she quickly moves on, hoping that in her intoxicated state, Quinn won't notice. "I was worried and scared that I would wake up tomorrow to a knock on the door from police telling me my wife was dead! I was frightened for our children with the possibility of telling them that their mother is no longer here! That is why it matters, Quinn!"

"You're so over dramatic!" Quinn huffs, "I was just out drinking with a few colleagues. We all had a rough day and thought it would be nice to relax!" Quinn chuckles humourlessly, "I can't believe you really thought I was dead! You're so illogical."

"Me?! Illogical?! No Quinn, I am being reasonable, you are the illogical one not thinking to let her wife know where she was!"

Tears begin to brim up in Rachel's eyes as she begins to picture Quinn lying in bed with Jenny before the picture changes to a police crime scene, with Quinn's body being the one lying on the floor, devoid of life.

"Why are we still arguing about this?"

"You could have been dead!" Rachel shouts, her tears now falling. Her lip trembles hard as she struggles to talk. "You could have been left on the street, alone, or bruised and bloodied up and I wouldn't know until the morning and our children-" a sob escapes Rachel, "God, our children would be left to live their lives without one of their mothers."

Rachel notices how Quinn's defensive stance disappears and a look of concern and heartbreak covers Quinn's face.

"Rachel-" Quinn goes to move to comfort her wife, but Rachel moves back and shakes her head.

Wrapping her arms around her abdomen, Rachel turns around and walks to the stairs.

"You're sleeping on the couch tonight." She says, sniffing hard.

"Honey,"

"You're on the couch." She repeats more forcefully. "You stink of alcohol and I need a little space. You know where the blankets are."

With that, Rachel turns around and walks up the stairs to hers and Quinn's bedroom.

Once she's settled down into the sheets, Rachel closes her eyes and begins to sob quietly.

* * *

><p>The weeks that passed after that night were nothing short of tense. Rachel's distrust for Quinn only increased with each passing evening that her wife was not home at her usual time. Which became a frequent occurrence.<p>

The sort of separation between the couple took it's toll on both women. With each passing day the bags under their eyes grew darker, they both are more irritable (Rachel having snapped at Finn a few times and Quinn to Jenny.) and looking like they are really lacking body fat.

They try to hide this from the children, with Quinn sneaking into the bedroom from the couch early hours in the morning before the children wake up - although she tends to leave before then anyway. When Quinn is home, they still exchange kisses and hugs with the children around, but as soon as the kids are off playing in their rooms or outside, they become distant.

Rachel would be lying if she said she didn't miss Quinn. She did, insanely so. But with the lack of her wife around and Finn instead being there, Rachel can't help but pull away from her distant wife.

Of course, there was the inclining that there was something more going on with Quinn and Jenny, which was helped by Finn's constant two cents on the matter of her marriage to Quinn.

Even when Santana spoke to Rachel, she still believed there was something Quinn wasn't telling her, that maybe she was indeed cheating.

* * *

><p>"You're being ridiculous, Berry." Santana says from where she's sat opposite Rachel.<p>

Rachel sips her soy latte. "Am I, Santana? Am I really?" She asks, narrowing her eyes. "My conclusion is perfectly acceptable. She has a hot new assistant, she comes home late, we haven't had sex in months-"

"I'm going to stop you right there because: A) I don't want to hear about your sex life - or lack thereof - and B) I repeat: You're being ridiculous." Santana says before rolling her eyes.

Rachel huffs and crosses her arms.

"Look, I've been your friend since College. I watched you go through two very shitty relationships. Quinn is the first person in a long time to actually treat you the way you should be treated. With respect and love. I see the way she looks at you and she loves you. Brittany has even told me that she's never seen Quinn be so devoted to another human being before. I've seen how much you love Quinn, and I know that Quinn would never cheat on you."

"But what about-"

"So what if she has a hot new assistant? Quinn isn't going to care because she's married to you. She comes home late because she obviously has a shit tonne of work at the office. We've all heard rumours of how ruthless Sue Sylvester is so it's no surprise. You haven't had sex in months because you're too wound up about your crazy idea that Quinn is cheating to see that you're completely wrong and because Quinn is probably too fucking tired!"

"This is ridiculous." Rachel says. "You're supposed to be on my side here, Santana!"

Santana laughs is exasperation. "'You're side'? Rachel, there are no sides in this. There's the truth - that Quinn isn't cheating on you - and there's you're perceived conclusions on the matter. Tell me, when you were on broadway and Quinn stayed at home, did you have sex often? Were you tired after each show?"

Rachel bites her lip and looks away from Santana. "Yes I was."

"And did Quinn immediately assume you were sleeping with your co-star simply because he was attractive and working with you 24/7?"

"...No."

"Case in point."

"But this is different! Finn told me-"

Santana throws her hands up into the air in anger. "Finn fucking Hudson is definitely the man you should not be listening too in terms of your marriage. That man only has one goal in mind and thats to get into your pants. He cares about only one person and it's himself." Santana stands up and picks up her coffee. "If you're more willing to listen to Finn Hudson, and believe his lying ass then we are done here." she says before stalking off.

Rachel watches her friend go with a contemplative look. Biting her lip, Rachel shakes off what Santana just said.

What does she know? Finn knows Quinn more than she does.

* * *

><p>It was three weeks after her talk with Santana that things finally blew up at the Fabray - Berry household. Despite brushing off what Santana said, Rachel was starting to notice the odd, a little more than friendly behaviour coming from Finn. It wasn't like she meant to notice them, but Santana's words kept on repeating in her mind and each time they did, she would notice something not so friendly that Finn would do.<p>

However, despite this, Rachel still invited Finn over for dinner after they picked the children up from school.

She had watched with a smile as Finn messed about with the kids, reminiscing about how she used to stand in the exact same spot and watch Quinn play with their kids.

After a meal of lasagna, vegan for Rachel, and putting the kids to bed, Finn and Rachel sat themselves down on the settee and set about watching an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

"So, when's Quinn home?" Finn asked, shuffling a little closer to Rachel.

Looking down at the hand Finn had placed between the two of them, Rachel subtly shuffled away from the man and made sure to keep one hand in her lap and the other holding the glass of wine she had.

She glances at the clock and sees that it's half past ten.

"Not for another two hours usually. Though recently it's been later."

"Oh?" Again, Finn moves closer. "Doesn't that seem strange to you?"

Rachel coughs awkwardly, but keeps on watching the screen, hoping that the argument between Khloe and Kim will distract her. "Yes, a little."

"Do you think maybe she's with her assistant?"

"Well she is her assistant, Finn, of course she would be with her." Rachel says, Santana's words from their conversation playing in her head.

"No I mean-" Finn moves closer again, if he moves one more time, the two of them will be shoulder to shoulder.

Rachel quickly stands up. She looks away from Finn's confused expression. "Uh, I'm gonna get some more wine, do you want another beer?"

Finn looks down at his hardly touched beer and back at Rachel, his eyes spotting the almost full glass of red wine in Rachel's hand "Nah, I'm good thanks."

Rachel quickly scurries off into the kitchen and braces herself against the counter.

'He's just being friendly' She thinks to herself. 'Nothing more. He's a concerned friend.'

Standing up straight, Rachel grabs her glass and turns around, walks back into the sitting room and sits down like nothing is wrong.

There's a few moments of silence between the two of them, with only the sounds of Kim crying being heard, before Finn speaks.

"You okay?" He asks.

Rachel plasters on a fake smile and looks over at the man. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're not thinking about Quinn and Jenny are you?"

"Finn-" Rachel takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. She pinches the bridge of her nose and prays that Finn will let the matter drop.

"Because she's not worth getting yourself worked up over."

During her her silent mantra, Rachel didn't notice Finn closing the space between them.

"If I was your husband, I would never cheat on you. I would shower you in gifts and take you out to dinner every night."

Rachel opens her eyes, only to fly back after seeing how close Finn has gotten to her.

Okay, now she's uncomfortable.

Finn was so close she could smell his cologne, she could see the small smudge of lasagne sauce hidden in the corner of his mouth.

Finn reaches up and gently cups her jaw. Rachel can't help but compare how trapped her head feels in his hand, whereas with Quinn she feels safe.

"You deserve to be treated like a princess, Rach." He says, smiling softly. "Everyday, every year."

Rachel stops herself from gasping when Finn begins to lean in. However, before Finn can kiss her, the front door opens and closes, causing Rachel to quickly jump up from the sofa and look over at the blonde standing in the doorway.

"Get out."

A shiver runs down Rachel's spine at how cold Quinn's voice is as she speaks to Finn. Rachel glances over at Finn who slowly stands from where he had fallen and stares at the blonde.

"No."

Quinn's eyes narrow dangerously at him. Rachel gulps and looks over at Finn, silently pleading for him to leave.

"Finn." Rachel says, gesturing to the door.

With a glare to Quinn, Finn relents and leaves, making sure to bash his shoulder against Quinn as he does so.

After the front door closes, the two women stare at each other for what seems like an eternity to Rachel.

Wanting to break some of the tension, Rachel clears her throat and tries a smile.

"Quinn, you're home early." She says, quickly glancing to the clock to see that it's 11:00.

Quinn doesn't answer, instead, Rachel watches as the anger in Quinn's eyes turns into hurt and betrayal.

"How could you?"

It's three words. Three simple words. Three words that shouldn't cause an unnatural amount of anger to boil within Rachel. And yet, they do. Three. Simple. Words.

"How could I?" Rachel asks, her voice full of indignation. "How could _you_?"

Rachel doesn't give Quinn time to answer.

"How dare you come in here and accuse me of adultery when we all know it's you who has been cheating!" She shrieks.

"What?" Quinn asks. "You're not still on about the Jenny thing are you?"

"Yes, yes I am Quinn as it is so clear to me that you are fucking that whore!" Rachel accuses. "And don't go and deny it, it's so blatantly obvious to everyone!"

Rachel watches as anger boils within Quinn and the blonde raises an eyebrow at her. "I can't believe you would even think that about me!" Quinn shakes her head and releases an unamused laugh. "You have no evidence to go on."

Rachel matches Quinn's laugh and crosses her arms. "Oh don't I? How about the fact you admitted to me you found her attractive? Or all the late nights you have?" She sneers.

Quinn groans in frustration and throws her hands into the air. "Oh my god, we both know you forced that out of me the other day. There was no way you were going to accept the fact that I didn't find her attractive. but guess what sweetheart, I don't. I don't think she's as attractive as you and i hope to god that somewhere inside your neurotic brain of yours you will realise this. As for my work - have you seen the amount of paper work I have? How much of a hard ass Sue is?"

"Oh you must have it really bad Quinn having to come back home to your neurotic wife after spending the day with a supermodel!" Tears brim Rachel's eyes, she's gotten to that level of anger where the emotions are becoming to much for her and all she can do is just cry.

"Really? That's what you take from what I just said?"

"I'm sorry I cant help but notice that my wife thinks I'm neurotic!"

"Well for the past few months you have been! You've been so wrapped up in your thoughts that you refuse to actually see the truth!"

Rachel sniffs harshly. "If we're going to point out each others flaws then I might as well have a go." Quinn simply rolls her eyes.

"You are a cheating liar, Quinn Fabray."

That causes Quinn to explode. "I HAVEN'T CHEATED ON YOU!" She yells, her face turning red from anger.

Rachel jumps slightly at Quinn's outburst. "You're past track record says otherwise." Rachel growls.

It's as if someone has flipped a switch inside of Quinn. As soon as the words left Rachel's mouth, Quinn went from furious to heartbroken in a matter of seconds. Her defensive stance turns to one of dejection and she stares at Rachel with the most broken eyes Rachel has ever seen.

Rachel watches as the tears in her eyes are matched by Quinn, except the blonde is attempting to hold them back. Her eyes follow the silent tears as the slide down Quinn's perfect cheeks and onto the carpet beneath them.

Guilt immediately rushes through Rachel as she watches her wife crumble in front of her. She knows how Quinn feels about her past self, who she was in college and how she regrets everything she did in college. And now, Rachel has just thrown it in her face because of her own insecurity and a stupid, blubbering man.

Quinn nods and begins to walk past Rachel and up the stairs to their bedroom. Rachel immediately follows, gently calling out her wife's name.

Rachel watches from the doorway as Quinn grabs a suitcase and begins to pack.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Rachel asks through a sniffle. It's obvious what Quinn is doing, but Rachel doesn't really want to believe it.

Her wife doesn't answer and instead, continues to pack her clothes away before aggressively closing her suitcase.

"Quinn."

Quinn spins round to face Rachel, her eyes red and her cheeks stained with her tears. Rachel feels her own fall but doesn't care to brush them away, instead, she continues to stare at her broken wife.

"Please move." Quinn says, her voice cracking on the last word.

Rachel shakes her head and refuses to move from the doorway. "Not until you tell me why you're going."

Rachel watches as Quinn takes a shaky breath, bites her lip and looks up at the ceiling. When she looks back at Rachel, the brunette feels her heart break a little bit more at the pleading look the blonde gives her.

"I can't stay in a house with someone who doesn't trust me." Quinn says, her voice breaking again as more tears fall from her eyes.

At her words, Rachel looks down at the floor and bites her lip. She sniffs, a sob escaping her when she feels Quinn brush past her and walk down the hallway. Hearing her descend the stairs, Rachel quickly follows.

"Quinn, please." She pleads, grabbing the blonde's hand before she can open the door. "What about the children?"

Quinn glances past Rachel to the stairs. Rachel doesn't turn around, but instead tries to get Quinn to make eye contact with her.

"We can arrange something." Quinn answers. "Can you let them know that I still love them, please?"

Rachel nods before trying one more tactic to stop Quinn from leaving. Just as Quinn steps out onto the porch, Rachel calls out to her.

"What about me?"

She watches as Quinn sighs and shrugs. "You don't trust me." And with that, Quinn turns around and leaves Rachel standing on the porch.

As soon as Quinn is out of sight, Rachel breaks down and drops down to the floor. Her cries become loud and her breathing becomes difficult as she tries to gather herself together. Her sobs are coming so fast that she barely has time to breathe, her breath become short and hard. She feels her lungs begin to restrict from lack of oxygen, but she's too heartbroken to care and so stays on the porch, sobbing hysterically and hyperventilating.

It feels like hours have passed when Rachel senses someone else's presence with her. She feels strong arms wrap around her body as she continues to wheeze through her sobs, her heart pounding hysterically in her chest. Her sobs begin to calm as she feels herself be pulled into a person's lap and a hand rub soothingly at her back.

She vaguely registers a voice coaxing her to calm down and as she looks up, she finds herself staring into the eyes of Kurt. Another wave of tears escape her and she feels Kurt pull her tight against his body, with him telling her everything is going to be okay.

Rachel truly hopes he's right.

* * *

><p><strong>So there you have it guys, the story of how Faberry split up in this universe. i hope you guys found it okay and if you have anger towards some of the choices i made in this chapter, then that's good, because i wanted you to be angry at Rachel.<strong>

**To explain: this is from Rachel's point of view. As she reflects on this to her children, she doesn't see herself as a saint in the break-up and so the horrible way in which Rachel behaves his how Rachel is looking at herself in hindsight. She sees herself as a villain in this and therefore, that is why she is presented as such (or as an annoying bitch.)**

**Anyway, this won't be the last chapter - I do have one more chapter written already that will bring the story to present times and i am already starting to plan the epilogue. I'll probably upload the next chapter in like two hours or so.**

**Thank you for reading**

**xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

**Like I promised! Although it's more like 24 hours than 2...**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present day - Quinn's office.<strong>_

"You okay?"

Quinn looks up from the mess in front of her to Jenny standing in the doorway. She sighs and runs a hand through her fringe. "Yeah, I'm alright."

Jenny doesn't look convinced and walks further into the office. "Really? Because I couldn't help but overhear your argument with the tall man and he said some pretty hurtful things."

The blonde relaxes against her chair and sighs once more. She's so tired of everything that has happened in the past few months. She just wants it all to stop.

"Yeah but he was right." Quinn shakes her head and opens up the drawer holding the divorce papers. She remembers the day Rachel stalked into her office and slammed them down onto the desk. Her wife had given her the shock of her life and as she watched her walk away not for the first time, she felt a little more of herself break.

"She doesn't want to be with me anymore." Quinn whispers, she holds up the papers to show Jenny. "I mean, if she did, she wouldn't have filed for a divorce, surely?"

jenny walks up to Quinn's desk and looks at the papers with a contemplative look. Quinn raises an eyebrow when her secretary gestures to the papers.

"May I?" Jenny asks.

Feeling suspicious, Quinn reluctantly handed the papers over to Jenny and watched as the younger woman began to read through the paper, softly reading the words aloud.

Quinn spoke along with her, having read each word about a thousand times by now.

"Ah, here we go." Jenny says after ten minutes of walking and reading. She turns round to Quinn and places the papers down onto the table, presenting the signature page to Quinn.

Quinn spies Rachel's signature already written on the line above the name "Rachel Berry." and next to that, the empty spot where her signature needs to go.

"You see that?" Jenny asks, tapping an index finger above Rachel's signature.

Quinn raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, it's her signature. Thanks for pointing that out to me, Jen." She says, feeling a bit hurt that her secretary would rub it in her face.

Jenny rolls her eyes. "You're not seeing it. Look harder." Jenny says, moving her finger and inch to the left of Rachel's signature.

"Alright, Rafiki, calm down." Quinn teases before looking closer to the signature. Just off to the side is a black smudge. Quinn looks up at Jenny with a disbelieving expression. "A smudge? You're telling me to look at a smudge?"

Jenny huffs, irritated. "It's not a smudge, it's a mark of her pen. She hesitated before writing the signature." She points to the smudge. "This mark is when she went to go write it, but then paused, before continuing."

Quinn isn't convinced by what Jenny is saying. "So?"

Jenny moves her finger to the actual signature. "Do you see how shaky it is?"

Quinn huffs. "What are you trying to get at here, Jen? She hesitated? So what? It's a shaky signature, so she was nervous? It's understandable, this was her writing our entire marriage away with one scribble, she has a right to be nervous about it."

Jenny groans and aggressively taps her finger against the paper. "No, you don't get it!" She says. "If Rachel was as sure to get rid of you as Finn claimed, or so adamant about divorcing you, she wouldn't have hesitated. Her signature would be smooth, not shaky."

"So, you're saying that purely because of a little shake in her hand, she still wants to be with me?"

"Yes,!"

Quinn laughs and shakes her head. "You're delirious!"

Jenny groans in anger and pushes herself off of the desk. She throws her hands into the air. "Oh my god! I guess this is why they say not to try and get your OTP to be canon yourself because this is so fucking annoying!"

The blonde pauses and looks over at the younger woman. "What? What on earth is an OTP?"

"One True Pairing! You and Rachel are my OTP."

Quinn looks at Jenny with a strange look. "...Okay."

Jenny huffs and rolls her eyes. "You don't get it," she throws her hand into the air one more time before leaving the office to her own desk.

Quinn frowns at the back of her secretary before shaking it off and sitting back down. She sighs as she looks down at the stupid book in front of her. Before she can even think about continuing, the familiar sound of the Skype calling tone rings through the office.

Clicking on the bouncing icon, Quinn is greeted with the stern face of her boss.

"Q. How's the book going?"

"Hi Sue." Quinn sighs. "You know, I'm really trying here Sue, but this book really is a dead end. There's no exciting characters, the storyline is depressing and the main character has about as many emotions as a can of beans."

"Who cares? Pre-teen, smelly, zit ridden girls eat this shit up. I already gave you your options Q. You finish this book. Now."

Quinn takes a deep breath. Having her boss completely ignoring her advice and then threatening her has become too much. Not to mention how much the woman has kept her from her kids.

"No." Quinn says assertively.

A dark look crosses Sue's face and she leans closer to the screen. "What did you say to me?"

"I said no, Sue. I refuse to help you in producing a book that will only serve to tell young girls that men should dominate their whole worlds. I certainly don't want my daughter reading garbage like this. I refuse to be a part of a company that idealizes misogyny to young children."

"Are you saying that you refuse to finish the book?"

Quinn nods. "Yes. And if you don't like that then I don't understand why you hired me if you did't want my opinions on the work and help you to produce the best books there are. I guess you just wanted me to be one of your lackeys. Well, not anymore, Sue."

Sue narrows her eyes. "Fine. You're fired. Be gone by the morning."

And with that, Sue disappears from Quinn's computer screen. Before Quinn can even take a breath, her computer logs her out, coming up with a message that says her employment here has been terminated.

"I will say one thing about Sue Sylvester. She works fast."

* * *

><p><strong><em>The Berry - Fabray residence <em>**

"You still love her, don't you?" Alex asks, looking up at Rachel with big sleepy eyes.

Rachel looks over at him and nods. "Yes. Very much so."

"So why did you let her go?"

"I was upset with her, I was upset with myself. I-I didn't think your Momma would want to stay with a woman who accused her of cheating."

"Why did you let her stay away for so long? Why Finn?" Alex presses, wanting to find all the missing jigsaw pieces and put it together.

"Your mother was very hurt by my accusations, Alex. She is very hurt by them. And Finn was just there. He was a rebound."

"What's a rebound?"

"Someone you go to for ice cream after ending things with the person you formerly had ice cream with." Lucy explains. At Rachel's appalled look, Lucy grins and says, "Uncle Puck told me."

"I accused her today of sharing ice cream with someone instead of seeing you two." Rachel says to her children.

Both Lucy and Alex gasp. "Momma would never do that!" Lucy exclaims, her face mirroring Quinn's own angry look.

Rachel looks down at her lap in guilt. "I know. I was just angry. Angry at myself for putting you two in this situation where you hardly get to see your Momma. Angry at your Momma for not standing up to her tyrant of a boss and I was angry at myself for letting your Momma go."

Alex's small chubby hand makes it's way onto Rachel's lap and her wraps his little fingers around Rachel's slender ones. Rachel looks up at her son and feels tears well up in her eyes at the innocent and forgiving look he is giving her. She can't stop the tears from falling and the first one runs down her cheek, landing on their joined hands.

Alex immediately sits up and throws himself onto Rachel, hugging her in his little arms with all his might. Rachel clutches at his pyjama top and begins to sob into his shoulder.

She feels Lucy move beside her and soon enough, Lucy's arms are also holding her.

Rachel sobs her pain and lost love away in her children's arms. She's been holding in these feelings all these months and today they finally tipped over the edge. She feels like she's failed her children for crying like this in front of them. She's their mother, she's meant to be strong for them and hold them whilst they cry, not the other way around.

Rachel pulls away from her children and cups each of their faces in her hands. They both look at her with sad smiles.

"Momma still loves you." Lucy says. "I know she does. Whenever she sees us, she asks how you are. Her eyes brighten when we talk about you, or if one of those songs you sang in that musical where everyone dies begins to play on the radio. Momma may be hurt, but she still loves you, and you still love her."

Rachel smiles weakly at her daughter. "I know what you two want to happen next. You want me to go to Momma and tell her I still love her and for us to get back together."

"Yeah!" They both say, bright smiles on their faces.

"Like a fairy tale. The knight declaring their love for the princess."

Rachel sniffles and shakes her head. "Life doesn't work like that Babies. It's not like in the movies or your fairy tale books where all that is needed is a declaration of love and everything is better."

"Well why can't it be!" Lucy says, crossing her arms in a huff. Alex nods angrily.

"Because real life is a lot more complicated than that."

"But you and Momma met like it was a fairytale. Love at first sight! You two were meant to be together." Lucy says, her eyes brightening at the thought.

"Lucy-"

"Just this once, can't life be like fairy tale and we live happily ever after?" Lucy asks, her eyes turning into puppy dog eyes.

Alex mimics his sister and even throws in a head tilt for added effect.

Rachel looks between her children and sighs. "Okay." She relents. "I can try."

The children laugh and high five each other before jumping up and down on the bed, shouting "Now!" over and over again.

"Now?" Rachel asks, "You want me to try now?" she looks over at her clock. "It's 10:00!"

"Momma's still at work."

"Do it before midnight like Cinderella!" Lucy says, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You two should be in bed, I can't leave you two alone."

"Then ask Uncle Puck or Auntie 'Tana to come babysit us!"

Rachel bites her lip. Puck probably will, Santana will yell at her for waking her up or taking her away from her Brit time for good twenty minutes before relenting because although she won't admit it, Santana loves Alex and Lucy.

She sighs. "Fine, fine." She reaches for her phone on the bedside table.

"I have an idea!" Alex says, jumping off the bed. He scurries out the room and down stairs.

Rachel and Lucy look at each other in confusion as they listen to draws and cupboards open and close. A few seconds later, Alex scurries back into the room, holding a piece of paper in his hands. He shoves his hand out, handing Rachel the paper.

Rachel reads the paper and smiles at her son before calling Santana.

"Berry, I swear if this is you calling in a panic thinking you're losing your voice again I'm going to throat punch you so hard-"

"No Santana, it's not one of those moments."

"Oh?"

"I need you to look after the kids for me."

She hears Santana yawn. "I thought it was Q-Ball's turn?"

"She couldn't, she had work."

Santana sighs. "Look, Rachel, I'm sure Quinn was telling you the truth and isn't ditching the kids for some whore-"

"No I know, I just need you to look after the kids so I can go speak to her."

She hears some rustling and believes that Santana has started to get clothed. "What are you going to say?"

Rachel walks down the stairs after having Alex glare at her with a cute little pout on his face. He urges her to go into the kitchen. "I'm going to apologise. And hopefully mend things."

"About fucking time. I'm on my way."

* * *

><p><strong>Across town<strong>

Quinn stands at her balcony, the divorce papers in her hands. After spending the last hour packing her things, she decided a nice bit of fresh air would allow her to breathe.

Her grip on them tightens when the wind blows ever so slightly. As much as she wants to just let them go and watch them fly away, she doesn't. Rachel wants this. Well, that's what she thought until Jenny told her differently.

Still, if what Jenny told her just happened to be a coincidence, then she's going to grip them with all her life.

She still hasn't been able to sign them. Two hours ago, Finn marched into this office and demanded she signed them.

In the last year that Quinn has worked with Jenny, Quinn has come to realise that Jenny is a big believer in fate and true love and soul mates. She's also come to realise that Jenny very much believes Quinn and Rachel to be soul mates. Or OTP or whatever.

Quinn sighs and reads the words she has read a thousand times already. The papers said they were to have shared custody of the kids. Rachel (or Finn, Quinn assumes) wishes to only see Quinn when their either picking up or dropping the kids off at each others respective homes. The first time she read those words, it broke Quinn's heart. Did Rachel really hate her so much that she wanted to see as little as possible of Quinn during their divorce?

Now, with what Finn had said to her earlier, Quinn knows that the majority of this is Finn's influence.

But there's something in the back of Quinn's mind that's saying maybe it's not. Maybe this is what Rachel wants.

She looked so broken during their argument. Quinn had never seen her wife look like that before, and to know that it was her doing. It breaks Quinn's heart.

Quinn hears the door to her office open.

Without turning around, Quinn sighs and says "I thought I told you to go home and get some rest, Jen."

"She did."

As quick as a bullet, Quinn spins round, coming face to face with Rachel dressed Quinn's old College sweatshirt and jeans. Quinn smiles softly. She always loved it when Rachel wore her college jumpers, they were one size too big and seemed to swallow her up. She always looked adorable.

"Rachel." Quinn breathes. "What- What are you doing here? Where are the kids?"

Rachel takes a step towards Quinn and smiles gently. "They're fine, Santana's looking after them. I came here to apologise."

That's when Quinn notices the tray in Rachel's hand and immediately, she recognises what is sitting upon the tray. A smile graces Quinn's face when she looks upon Rachel's "I'm Sorry" cookies. Looking at the messy pink and green icing mess, Quinn knows Rachel had help from a certain five year old boy.

"Quinn, I need to tell you something."

Quinn only nods and watches Rachel carefully as the brunette takes another step forward.

"I love you. I love you so much and I am so sorry for everything that has happened these past few months."

Quinn folds her arms across her chest and raises an eyebrow.

Rachel falters at Quinn's reaction. "You're the love of my life, Quinn. You're the mother of our two beautiful children and there's no one else I want to spend the rest of my life with,"

Quinn eyes the cookies. "So, what? You thought that baking your 'i'm sorry' cookies and coming to my office at-" Quinn checks her watch - "ten to midnight and apologising was going to be enough for me to forgive you and take you back?" Quinn steps towards Rachel, making sure her face gives nothing away.

"You thought that if you said 'I love you' one last time and arriving wearing my favourite outfit on you and looking as beautiful as ever was going to be enough for me to forgive you?" She asks, walking so she's right in front of Rachel, so close that Rachel has to tilt her head slightly to look at her. But not too close that she knocks the tray of cookies. Rachel gulps, looking extremely nervous.

Very slowly, Quinn reaches down and picks up one of the cookies. She makes sure she holds eye contact with Rachel as she speaks her next words.

"If so," She says, "then you were absolutely, one hundred percent correct, Rachel Barbra Berry."

Her signature cheeky smile pulls up on her face and she takes a bite from the cookie. Before Rachel can even form a reply, Quinn swallows her bite and connects her lips to Rachel's for the first time in months.

Quinn distantly hears the sound of the tray falling to floor before feeling Rachel's hands grip her white shirt and pulls her closer. A moan escapes Quinn when she feels Rachel's tongue against her lips. It's been so long.

This kiss is completely different to all the other kisses the two of them have shared. Not only is this kiss as passionate as their first kiss, it's as loving as their kisses that followed. They both pour everything into this one. Every promise ever made between the two of them - whether it's past, present or future - is exchanged in this kiss. Every laugh and hug shared is in this kiss. Every single thought and emotion the two have shared is exchanged in this moment.

When everything they could ever feel is passed over, the pair finally pull apart.

"Fabray." Rachel whispers against Quinn's lips.

Quinn makes a noise of confusion in her throat.

Rachel pulls back so she can look Quinn in the eyes. Her hands move to cup Quinn's cheeks.

"Rachel Barbra Berry - Fabray." Rachel says.

Quinn smiles lovingly at Rachel and gently pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. Her fingers runs down a smooth cheek, over plump lips and down Rachel's throat.

"I am yours and you are mine." Quinn whispers.

Rachel grins before pulling Quinn down into another kiss. She quickly pulls away and peers round the office. "Why are your things packed?"

Quinn hums. "I quit. Well, Sue fired me, but I basically quit." Quinn gently strokes her wife's cheek. "I promise I'll no longer put work before you and the kids."

With a smile, Rachel pulls Quinn into another kiss, silently telling her what she thinks about the change Quinn has made.

And as Quinn promises herself to her wife once more, the wind blows past the couple and pulls the divorce papers along on it's journey around the city.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you all to those who have stuck by this story from the beginning. i had a lot of fun writing it. I think this is the story I had the most fun writing compared to the others. It's a bit more light hearted than the others, with the themes not being quite as dark (vampire who killed her parents, two girls who are in love - one suffers from a mental disorder, another loses her father and then a runaway victim of domestic abuse who lived on the streets for years.)<strong>

**If anyone recognised the game of thrones quote i threw in, then you get a Rachel Berry approved gold star!**

**I will be writing a short, sort of fun epilogue to completely finish this story and to probably show what people want to happen :)**

**anyway, once again thank you all so much for the supports and maybe I will see you guys soon?**

**Thank you**

**Eloise x**


	8. Epilogue

**As promised, the Epilogue. There is payback in here towards Finn.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>The Fabray - Berry household - Christmas Day.<em>**

A soft moan escapes Rachel when she feels light kisses be placed against her neck. She sighs dreamily and smiles, her eyes still closed. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she rolls onto her back and happily greets the body she feels move on top of her.

"Merry Christmas, Rae."

Shivers run down the spine at the words whispered lovingly in her ear. Opening her eyes, Rachel gazes up at her wonderful wife. A grin breaks out onto her face when she notices the adoring look in the hazel eyes she loves.

lifting her head up, Rachel connects hers and Quinn's lips together in a kiss, her hands moving to lock round Quinn's neck. She can't wipe off the grin she has on her face when they pull apart.

"Merry Christmas Quinn." She whispers, her fingers lightly drawing a pattern on the back of Quinn's neck.

It's been five months since the fairy tale moment in Quinn's office and life for the Fabray - Berry's went back to how it was before Quinn got her job at Sue's publication company. Rachel feels happier now than she ever has and she feels that what happened between her and her wife only made them stronger as a couple. They've learnt that trust is what they need the most - something which after a few rocky weeks, they managed to slowly build up between each other.

Life was tough for a while after Quinn quit the publication company. just like Sue had promised, she made sure no company would hire Quinn. Seeing Quinn look so upset by this, Rachel decided to take matters into her own hands. Speaking to Santana, she worked out the best way Quinn could start up her own publication company. With this business plan drawn up, both Santana and Rachel sat down with Quinn one evening and told her about it.

The last time Rachel had seen Quinn looks so happy was on their wedding day. Quinn had happily agreed, especially after Rachel brushed away any doubts Quinn had, by pointing out that with how passionate Quinn is about literature and the impact of literature, she is smart enough and capable enough to publish books that can send the right message out to the world.

And so, with that, Quinn started up her first ever publications company.

"IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

With a roll of her eyes, Quinn rolls off of Rachel and back onto her own side as their children come rushing into the room and jump onto their bed.

"IT'S CHRISTMAS!" Alex squeals excitedly, jumping up and down on the bed.

Lucy just sits on the bed and grins widely, watching her little brother with excitement.

Rachel raises an eyebrow at her little boy. "Is it? I thought it was boxing day." She looks over at Quinn for confirmation.

Her wife smirks at her and then turns her attention to the little boy who has ceased his jumping and is looking at her with wide eyes. "Yeah it is. Sorry buddy, you're a day late."

The look of disappointment and sadness in Alex's face is almost enough to make Rachel crack.

"Am I?" he asks, sitting down glumly on the bed and looking to his big sister. Lucy just shrugs, having caught up with her mothers' joke.

"Yeah, you must have slept through it." Rachel says, glancing over at Quinn with a barely concealed smile.

Alex narrows his eyes at his mothers and notices their expressions. His eyes widen and he gasps before jumping up. "You're lying! It is christmas!"

Both Quinn and Rachel begin laughing and Rachel lunges forward, grabbing Alex round the waist and pulling him down to lie down between her and Quinn. "Yes it is you little nugget!" She says, tickling his little body.

Lucy crawls up the bed into the open arms of Quinn and happily snuggles into her Momma.

Alex giggles as Rachel continues her assault of tickles on him. He manages to wiggle away from Rachel and hurriedly crawls off the bed.

"Come on! We gots presents to open!" He says before scurrying out of the room.

Rachel and Quinn look at each other and then down at Lucy with raised eyebrows.

Lucy giggles. "Auntie 'Tana taught how to speak Lima Heights."

"Of course she did." Quinn mumbles with an eye roll.

The sound of footsteps are heard and Alex appears back into the room, breathing heavily and looking very red in the face.

"What are you waiting for?" He asks before rushing out once again.

Quinn, Rachel and Lucy all giggle before following the boy.

* * *

><p>Rachel smiles at her children who are both surround in their presents and ripped wrapping paper. Both of them are pre-occupied with the presents Quinn and Rachel brought them. Quinn lies against Rachel, her head resting on the smaller woman's chest, their legs wrapped around each other.<p>

"They're so happy." Quinn says, taking a sip of her coffee.

Rachel kisses the top of Quinn's head and begins to play with her hair. "Of course they are, they're surrounded by new toys."

Quinn chuckles and then sits up. "That reminds me!" Quinn says, before getting up and rushing off.

Rachel raises an eyebrow at her wife who scurries into the room, in a similar fashion to Alex in the morning. Quinn grins sheepishly at Rachel and removes her hands from behind her back, presenting a present to the brunette.

Rachel smiles. "I told you not to get me anything for christmas since you got me presents for Hanukkah."

Quinn blushes. "I know, but I still wanted to get you something." She hands the small, neatly wrapped box to Rachel and sits down beside her on the sofa. Rachel moves her legs and places them on Quinn's lap before starting to unwrap the present.

Slowly, Rachel opens up the blue velvet box and carefully picks up the long silver chain. Sitting at the end of the chain is a silver infinity symbol and at the cross over of the infinity symbol is two stones. One is a deep purple, cut into the shape of a triangle and the other is a dark blue cut in the same way as the purple one.

"Quinn…it's beautiful." She whispers, her eyes glancing up to her wife and back to the necklace.

Quinn blushes and scratches the back of her neck. "The two stones are our birthstones. This one here," she points to the purple one "Is my birthstone - Amethyst" she moves her finger to the second stone "And this one is yours - Tazanite."

Rachel is speechless and looks up at her wife with the most loving eyes. Quinn continues her explanation. "With them on the infinity symbol it means that you and I will be together forever. Our love is infinite."

Before Quinn could even react, Rachel leaps upon her wife and showers her in kisses before pressing a loving one onto her lips. Rachel giggles when she feels Quinn hug her tighter and kiss her a bit harder.

It's only the tiny "Ewwws" they hear that pulls them apart. They look towards their children who both have their noses scrunched up at their parents.

Rachel laughs and turns back to Quinn. "I love you."

"I love you more."

The brunette pulls back from Quinn and looks down at the necklace. She picks it up and holds it out to Quinn. "Put it on for me?" she asks.

Quinn smiles and nods, motioning for Rachel to turn round. Once the necklace is securely clasped round her neck, Quinn presses a soft kiss to her back and rests her chin onto Rachel's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asks when she notices that Rachel is silent, playing with the necklace, looking slightly down.

Rachel sighs. "It's just- I wish I got you something better, more meaningful. This is so beautiful, Quinn and holds so much meaning. The books I brought you and the cufflinks are nothing compared to this."

"Hey," Quinn coaxes, getting Rachel to look at her, "The presents you got me mean everything to me. I still can't believe you managed to find the original copy of A Brave New World - and with it the original signature of Aldous Huxley. That means so much to me. And the cufflinks - I love the fact that you went and brought customised cufflinks that have yours and mine's initials on them. Now, every time I'm at work and I'm missing you, all I have to do is look down at them."

Rachel smiles softly at her wife and presses a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"I love you." Quinn whispers.

"I love you more."

* * *

><p>A little while later, after everyone had gone and gotten showered and dressed - all of them wearing christmas sweaters on request by not just Rachel, but Alex as well, Rachel and Quinn found themselves standing in the kitchen, working away to get the christmas dinner ready.<p>

It was whilst Rachel was cutting up the carrots and Quinn was stirring the cranberry sauce that they heard a knock at the door. Both looked to each other in confusion.

"You told Santana and Kurt three o'clock, right?" Quinn asks, removing the spoon from the sauce and placing it on the counter.

Rachel pushes the sliced carrots off the knife and into a pot filled with other vegetables. "Yeah, I did. Did you tell Puck?"

Quinn nods. "Yeah. And Brittany in case Santana forgot."

There's another knock, this one a bit more insistent than the last.

"Momma, Mommy, there's someone at the door!" Alex shouts from the living room where he's playing with his new wicked play set.

Rachel places the knife down and follows Quinn as she walks to the front door. Standing slightly behind her wife, she waits in anticipation as Quinn opens the door.

However, when she recognises the figure standing int he doorway, her anticipation falls and anger replaces it.

"What are you doing here, Finn?" Rachel asks, glancing at her wife. She notices how Quinn's jaw has become clenched and her eye have narrowed.

Finn grins and waves awkwardly. "Uh hey, Rach." He looks to Quinn, his face morphing like he tasted something sour. "Quinn."

Quinn merely grunts back at him. Rachel purses her lips at the man in front of them and folds her arms over her chest. "You haven't answered my question."

"Can I come in? It smells good." He says, about to step in, only to have Quinn step forward and growl.

"No, you're not welcome." Quinn growls, her hand tightening on the doorknob.

"Listen Blondie-"

"Finn, just answer me." Rachel says with an annoyed huff, her anger quickly increasing.

Finn scratches at the back of his head and gives Rachel a lazy smile. "Oh right. I just wanted to apologise to you." He looks over at Quinn. "Both of you." He adds a little reluctantly.

Both Rachel and Quinn raise their eyebrow, giving Finn a matching look. Finn blanches at this, the realisation of how much of a married couple they are hitting him.

"I'm sorry for what I did, I know it wasn't the right thing to do." He grins afterwards, waiting for Rachel to let him off the hook.

But Rachel won't let him.

"You're not forgiven." She says, smiling when Quinn lets out a snort.

The look that appears on Finn's face tells the couple that he was not expecting that answer.

"What? B-But it's the time for forgiveness-"

"That's thanksgiving, moron." Quinn bites.

Finn glares at Quinn. "Shut up! I only came to say sorry to Rachel if I'm honest, not to you. You deserved what I did."

Rachel notices the fist that Quinn's hand has curled into and how her arm begins to raise. Rachel also feels the same anger as Quinn and quickly places a hand on the arm. Quinn glances at her with a pleading look.

"Let me." Rachel whispers low enough for only Quinn to hear. Rachel's been wanting to hit Finn for so long now.

"You fucked up your marriage, not me. So how about you just go the fu-"

A loud crack is heard as Rachel's fist connects with Finn's face, causing the tall man to stumble back and slip on the icy porch, landing onto his backside. Blood begins to run down his face from where Rachel had hit his nose.

Rachel, running high on adrenaline doesn't feel the pain yet in her hand and instead, stands in the doorway.

"Merry Christmas, Finn." She sneers before closing the door on him.

* * *

><p>"So let me get this straight." Santana says later on in the day. "You punched Finn?"<p>

Rachel sighs, smiling up at Quinn when her wife returns with a towel wrapped in freshly frozen ice and places it back down on Rachel's now swollen and bruised hand.

Everyone is sat at the dinner table, their plates completely empty and their bellies full after Rachel and Quinn happily fed them the christmas dinner they made. Puck is sat back in his char, rubbing at his belly, a smudge of cranberry sauce in the corner of his lips, listening to Alex as he chats away to his Uncle Puck about his new presents.

Kurt is looking at Rachel with a horrified look, whilst Blaine just looks concerned for Rachel's hand. Brittany is talking to Lucy about her new book whilst Santana stares at Rachel with a disbelieving and proud look on her face.

"Yes, Santana, for the fifth time, I punched Finn." Rachel says tiredly.

Quinn sits back in her spot at the head of the table and rubs a soothing hand on Rachel's shoulder.

"So you're telling me that you, Rachel Berry, the girl who doesn't condone any sort of violence, punched the man child that is Finn Hudson?" Santana says, her eyes narrowing.

Rachel narrows her eyes. "Yes."

"Baby, I think we've gathered by now that she did hit him." Brittany says, having finished her conversation with Lucy who's now turned her attention to one of her new books.

Santana laughs and leans back in her chair. "I don't fucking believe it."

"Language!" Quinn, Rachel, Brittany, Kurt and Alex all shout at the Latina who just laughs.

"I think it's hot." Puck says with a smirk. His smirk quickly disappears at the glare Quinn sends his way.

Rachel laughs at Puck and looks to her wife. Quinn smirks at her. "It was." She says, causing Rachel to blush.

After a while, Quinn gets up and brings in the christmas pudding. After lighting it and distributing portions to everyone, all was quiet at the dinner table as they all dug into their dessert.

"So you actually hit him?"

A chorus of groans follows Santana's question.

* * *

><p>After dinner and the gang helped Quinn and Rachel clean up, they found themselves in the sitting room, drinking eggnog and enjoying each other's company. Santana is sat on the sofa, watching Brittany with a fond smile as the dancer looks through the many cd's Rachel owns. Puck is sat with Blaine, talking about a game that was on the other night. To Rachel, it seems like their talk is getting a little heated between the two men, but they both look like they are having fun.<p>

Kurt is sat on the floor with Alex, acting out scenes from Wicked with Alex's play set and Lucy's sat on the other end of the sofa, her nose deep in her new book - The Hunger Games. Rachel had been sceptical about buying it for their daughter due to the violence she had seen from the films, but Quinn calmly explained the political and social problems the book explores which Lucy can benefit from.

As for Quinn and Rachel, well, they're currently sat on the arm chair together, Rachel sits happily on top of her wife, watching as Quinn wraps a bandage round her bruised hand. Once finished, Quinn presses a gentle kiss to Rachel's wrapped knuckles and then kisses her cheek. Rachel sighs contently and leans back against her wife, placing her head on her shoulder.

The excited squeal the sounds from Brittany causes Rachel to jump in her wife's lap. The dancer places a CD into the stereo and then turns round, her eyes set on Santana as the first line of chords of Mariah Carey's "_All I Want For Christmas_" begins to play.

Rachel and Quinn watch with amusement as Brittany begins to sing along to the music and slowly make her way to a very embarrassed Santana. Brittany curls her finger beckoning Santana to stand up and join her, only for Santana to shake her head.

When the beat picks up, Brittany skips over to Santana and grabs her hands, pulling the Latina up from her place on the sofa and begins to dance, shaking her body around the Latina.

"_I don't want a lot for christmas_

_There is just one thing I need_"

Both Quinn and Rachel laugh at the look on Santana's face before providing the backing vocals for Brittany.

"_(And I) Don't care about the presents_

_Underneath the Christmas tree_."

With a roll of her eyes, Santana gives into Brittany and begins to dance with her.

As Brittany sings the next lines, she makes her way to Lucy and takes the book away from the girl, who attempts to grab the book back. Rachel hears Quinn chuckle as they watch Brittany pick their daughter up in a familiar fashion as she did Santana, and start moving her arms to dance, still happily singing to the song.

"_I just want you for my own_

_More than you can ever know_."

Brittany then turns her attention to Alex after lightly pushing Lucy over to Santana, who's now dancing with Rachel's daughter, singing along with Brittany. Alex doesn't need anymore attention before he abandons his play set, grabs Kurt's hand and pulls him up to dance with him.

Rachel chuckles as her little boy skips around the coffee table, pulling Kurt along with him as they both join in with Brittany's singing.

Soon enough, Blaine joins in, doing his own version of Carlton's dance. Puck crosses his arms over his chest and shakes his head when Brittany bounds over to him.

"_Make my wish come true._"

All it takes for Puck to join in is Alex's little doe eyes staring at him before he relents and begins to dance with Alex, showing the little boy his signature twist move.

Quinn and Rachel watch with fond smiles as their friends and children dance around their living room, all singing their heads off to Mariah Carey. Kurt has taken to do his shimmy which he teaches to Lucy, causing Quinn to chuckle at how ridiculous Kurt looks with his shimmering jumper and his daughters shaking shoulders. Puck has turned his attention to some awful dad dancing, even throwing in the sprinkler move, causing Rachel to cringe slightly. Blaine is in his own little world, happily dancing about. Santana has taken to standing on their coffee table, shaking her hips about and Brittany and Alex are dancing together, their hands joined as they do their won version of a ballroom dance.

Rachel's foot has started tapping along with the music as she hums long to the music. Quinn hugs her wife tightly and places a kiss behind her ear, singing softly in her wife's ear. Rachel grins at this and begins to dance in her seat. Seeing this, Brittany dances over to the couple, singing all the while she does.

_"And everyone is singing_

_I hear those sleigh bells ringing."_

Brittany grabs hold of Rachel's hands and pulls her up. Rachel immediately joins in with Brittany's singing.

"_Santa, won't you bring me the one I really need?_

_Won't you please bring my baby to me?"_

Quinn is quick to follow her wife and both of them join in with their friends and family in their dancing. Brittany helps Santana jump off the coffee table and they begin to dance together, criss-crossing their arms and spinning each other. Rachel grabs hold of her dancing daughter and spins her around before beginning to dance with her. Quinn lifts her son up onto her feet and begins to dance with him, using her own feet to guide his in a little jig.

"_Oh, I just want you for my own_

_More than you could ever know"_

Rachel and Quinn soon find each other again and begin to dance, with Quinn wrapping her arms around Rachel's midriff whilst Rachel presses her back into her wife. They sway side to side before Quinn spins Rachel out and spins her back in, continuing their swaying.

"_Make my wish come true_

_Baby all I want for Christmas is_

_You, (You baby)"_

When the song comes to an end and the next track plays, everyone take a breath and start laughing together. None of the adults have dance so much since their time back in Dubai. Lucy and Alex have both taken to lying down on the floor, their legs and arms spread right out and their chests heaving for air.

"Best Christmas Ever." Rachel says, feeling Quinn wrap her up in a hug. The others agree and fall back onto the settee, except for Brittany who once again bounds over to the stereo.

After a few moments of silence, Brittany speaks.

"Hey Rach, isn't this yours and Quinn's wedding song?" Brittany asks, holding up the familiar CD to Rachel.

"You mean at their second wedding." Santana says with a annoyed expression. "You know, the one we were _actually_ invited to?" Though her words seem bitter, Santana sends Rachel a wink, which Rachel simply replies by sticking out her tongue before turning her attention to Brittany.

"Yes it is, Brittany."

"Cool."

Alex sits up in excitement, having finally caught his breath. "Can we hear it? Please?" He asks, turning the doe eyes he used on Puck to his mothers.

Puck watches with a smirk when the mothers relent and agree, telling Brittany to put the track on. At least he's not the only one who can't resist the little boys eyes.

Kurt, Brittany and Alex all squeal in delight at the mothers' words and Brittany happily plays the track. All eyes turn to Quinn and Rachel as the first bars begin to play.

Quinn turns to her wife and holds out a hand. "My dear, may I have this dance?" She asks with a slightly bow.

Rachel grins, a slight blush covering her cheeks. "Why, of course." She says, taking Quinn's hand and giggling when the blonde pulls her close. She watches as Quinn connects Rachel's right hand to her left, careful to keep her touch light as to not hurt Rachel's bruised hand, and places her other hand on Rachel's hip. Rachel lifts her left hand up and place it on the back of Quinn's neck, assuming the position they used at their wedding.

_"My mind runs away to you_

_With the thought I hope you see_

_Can't see where it's wondered to_

_But I know where it wants to be."_

Rachel smiles up at her wife, her heart soaring at the affectionate look Quinn gives her as they begin to slowly dance, their bodies moving in sync. Rachel can feel the eyes of her friends and family on her, but she doesn't care, all she has eyes for his her wife in front of her.

_"I wait here patiently though time is moving slow._

_I have one vacancy and I wanted you to know that."_

Quinn spins Rachel out of her arms, smiling like an idiot at the giggle that escapes the brunette. She spins the woman back to her and with grace, begins to lead the two of them around the room again, spinning the two of them every so often.

_"You're the one designed for me_

_A distant stranger that I will complete."_

Quinn dips Rachel, her hand securely supporting Rachel's back. They both smile at each other and Rachel realises their hands to loving cup Quinn's cheek. She's never been happier with her wife than on their wedding day when they got dance to this song with her.

_"I know you're out there, we're meant to be_

_So keep your head up and make it to me._

_And make it to me."_

When Quinn picks Rachel back up, the smaller woman notices that Kurt and Blaine have joined in with their dancing, looking at each other with loving smiles. She grins at her friend before turning her attention back to her wife.

Quinn and Rachel continue to dance together as the song continues through the next verse. Soon, Brittany and Alex have joined in, with Alex standing on Brittany's feet as she guides the little boy round the room. Puck and Lucy soon join, copying Brittany and Alex's stance.

Rachel and Quinn slow down their dance so they're just slowly turning in a circle, holding each other and remembering how much this song speaks to the both of them. They both feel as if their wife is the perfect counter balance to them, that they fit together like two pieces on a jigsaw puzzle. They remember how heartbroken they both felt that day on the beach when they thought they'd never see each other again, only for Quinn to present the plane ticket to Rachel.

After everything they've been through, Rachel can't help but feel that the song speaks to them now more than ever. They are meant to be together, even when they're apart, they'll still find themselves back together.

_"I know you're out there, we're meant to be_

_So keep your head up and make it to me."_

And as Quinn pulls back from Rachel and places a gentle, loving kiss upon her lips, Rachel knows that this is where she belongs. Here in Quinn's arms is her home and no one can replace her or her two wonderful children and amazing group of friends.

_"Make it to me_

_Make it to me_

_Make it to me"_

And as Rachel takes a look round the room, looking at her friends dancing with her children and then back to her wife, she knows that this…

This will forever be her perfect family portrait.

* * *

><p><strong><em>The End.<em>**

**_Thank you to all of you who have left reviews, followed the story or just simply read it. If it wasn't for you guys, I probably wouldn't have finished the story like with two of the other ones I used to do. Thanks so much again for the support._**

**_The songs I used in this chapter were "All I want For Christmas Is You" - Mariah Carey and "Make It To Me" - Sam Smith._**

**_I just wanted to quickly explain my choice for using Sam Smith as Faberry's weeding song. A couple of months ago on my tumblr, I don't if any of you saw, but i created a set of Faberry manias that used lyrics from the song. When I first heard the song, Faberry immediately popped into my head and I needed to make something that used them and the song. As I thought about the song more and wrote chapters to this story, i realised how much it fit in with the Faberry I wrote and how perfect the song was. Some of you may disagree, but this is just my opinion._**

**_Whether you disagree or not, if you haven't already (especially after the music video he released with Dianna in it) I strongly suggest you go and check out Sam Smith and his music - it's just amazing and so emotional._**

**_Anyway, I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you again to all you guys for sticking by me even though some of you didn't like the way I wrote Rachel or Quinn in this. It still meant a lot that you were passionate about the ship enough to point flaws out on how they wouldn't act etc._**

**_Take care of yourselves and maybe I will see you in the near future (I do have a new story brewing that I am VERY heavily planning)_**

**_Eloise_**

**_xx_**


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